Democrats want to see Mueller’s full report
washington — Congressional Democrats on Friday took a legal step to see all of US Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s evidence from his inquiry into Russian interference in the 2016 election, as they consider how to use the probe’s findings against President Donald Trump.
US House of Representatives Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, a Democrat, issued a subpoena to the Justice Department to hand over the full report by Mueller, saying he cannot accept a redacted version released on Thursday that “leaves most of Congress in the dark.”
“My committee needs and is entitled to the full version of the report and the underlying evidence consistent with past practice. The redactions appear to be significant. We have so far seen none of the actual evidence that the Special Counsel developed to make this case,” Nadler said in a statement.—
washington — The chairman of the House Judiciary Committee issued a subpoena on Friday for special counsel’s Robert Mueller’s report as Congress escalates its investigation of President Donald Trump.
“It now falls to Congress to determine the full scope of that alleged misconduct and to decide what steps we must take going forward,” said Representative Jerrold Nadler. He expects the Justice Department to comply by May 1.
While Mueller declined to prosecute Trump on obstruction of justice, he did not exonerate the president, all but leaving the question to Congress.
Mueller’s report provides fresh evidence of Trump’s interference in the Russia investigation and challenges lawmakers to respond. The risks for both parties are clear if they duck the responsibility or prolong an inquiry that, rather than coming to a close, may be just beginning.
“My committee needs and is entitled to the full version of the report and the underlying evidence consistent with past practice,” Nadler said in a statement.
But the committee’s top Republican, Representative Doug Collins of Georgia, said the subpoena was “wildly overbroad” and that Trump already declined to assert executive privilege in a move of “unprecedented openness”. Collins said Nadler was rushing the process for political gain.
“This is politically convenient,” Collins said, allowing the chairman “to grandstand and rail against the attorney-general for not cooperating on an impossible timeline”.
Attorney-General William Barr sent Congress a redacted version
I had the right to end the whole Witch Hunt if I wanted. I could have fired everyone, including Mueller, if I wanted. I chose not to
Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump
of the report, blacking out several types of material, including classified information, material pertaining to ongoing investigations and grand jury evidence.
Nadler said he is open to working with the department “to reach a reasonable accommodation for access to these materials, however I cannot accept any proposal which leaves most of Congress in the dark, as they grapple with their duties of legislation, oversight and constitutional accountability”.
The materials are due the day Barr is scheduled to testify before a senate committee and one day before Barr is set to appear before Nadler’s committee. Nadler also has summoned Mueller to testify.
Republicans are eager to move beyond what Trump calls the “witch hunt” that has overshadowed the party and the presidency. While Democrats say Mueller’s findings are far more serious than initially indicated in Barr’s fourpage summary last month, they’ve been hesitant to pursue the ultimate step, impeachment proceedings, despite pressure from the left flank of the party to begin efforts to try to remove the president from office.