Mueller probe concludes with no new charges
WASHINGTON — Special counsel Robert Mueller on Friday turned over his long-awaited final report on the contentious Russia investigation, ending the probe with no new charges.
The 22-month probe ended without additional indictments by Mueller despite speculation by some congressional Democrats and the media that members of the president’s family, including his oldest son, could themselves wind up facing charges.
The Justice Department said the report was delivered by a security officer Friday afternoon to the office of Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, and then it went to Attorney General William Barr. Word of the delivery triggered reactions across Washington, including Democrats’ demands that it be released to the public and Republicans’ contentions that it ended two years of wasted time and money.
The next step is up to Barr, who is charged with writing his own account of Mueller’s findings and sending it to Congress. In a letter to lawmakers, he
declared he was committed to transparency and speed. He said he could provide the special counsel’s “principal findings” to Congress this weekend, but that likely won’t be the last of the information he provides to lawmakers or the public.
The attorney general said the Justice Department had not denied any request from the special counsel, something Barr would have been required to disclose to ensure there was no political inference.
The investigation has concluded without any public charges of a criminal conspiracy between the campaign and Russia, or of obstruction by the president. A Justice Department official confirmed Friday that Mueller was not recommending any further indictments.
That person, who described the document as “comprehensive,” was not authorized to discuss the probe and asked for anonymity.
That’s good news for a handful of Trump associates and family members that were accused by the media of possible wrongdoing. Those likely exonerated include Donald Trump Jr., and Trump’s sonin-law, Jared Kushner, who was interviewed at least twice by Mueller’s prosecutor. It wasn’t immediately clear whether Mueller might have referred additional investigations to the Justice Department.
The mere delivery of a confidential report set off swift, full-throated demands from Democrats for full release of Mueller’s findings.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer declared it “imperative” to make the full report public, a call echoed by several Democrats vying to challenge Trump in 2020.
“The American people have a right to the truth,” Schumer and Pelosi said in a joint statement.
Democrats also expressed concern that Trump would try to get a “sneak preview” of the findings.
“The White House must not be allowed to interfere in decisions about what parts of those findings or evidence are made public,” they said in a joint statement.
It was not clear whether Trump, who is spending the weekend at his resort in Mara-Lago, would have early access to Mueller’s findings. Spokeswoman Sarah Sanders suggested the White House would not interfere, saying “we look forward to the process taking its course.” But Trump’s personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, told The Associated Press the legal team would seek to get “an early look” at the findings before they were made public.
He said it would be “appropriate” for the White House to be able “to review matters of executive privilege” but he had received no assurances from the Department of Justice. He later softened his stance, saying the decision was “up to DOJ and we are confident it will be handled properly.”
Barr’s chief of staff called White House Counsel Emmet Flood Friday about 20 minutes before notifying lawmakers of the report’s arrival. Barr’s congressional letter went to the Republican and Democratic leaders of the Senate and House Judiciary committees.