House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said Sunday the public has a “right to know” what is in special counsel Robert Mueller’s final report on his investigation into Russian meddling and possible collusion with Moscow.
Legal experts have said that the full Mueller report may never be released to the public. But Pelosi, who is expected to be elected speaker in January, said she doesn’t think Democrats will have to subpoena the final report whenever Mueller is done.
“The public has a right to know, and no one is above the law in terms of us having access to that information,” Pelosi said in an interview with CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday.
“In our oversight responsibility we would want that information,” Pelosi said.
Pelosi and other Democratic leaders are discussing whether they will urge Republicans to put a measure protecting Mueller in a December must-pass spending bill. Democrats and a number of Republicans are concerned that new acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker could interfere in Mueller’s investigation at the behest of the president, potentially spurring a constitutional crisis.
Pelosi said Whitaker should recuse himself, as former Attorney General Jeff Sessions did, from overseeing Mueller’s probe.
Earlier Sunday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. said the same. If Whitaker doesn’t recuse himself, Schumer said, Democrats “will attempt to add to must-pass legislation, in this case the spending bill, legislation that would prevent Mr. Whitaker from interfering with the Mueller investigation.”
“There are a number of Republicans who have spoken out, that we cannot allow Whitaker to interfere with the Mueller investigation,” Schumer said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “So there’s no reason that legislation shouldn’t pass and be added to the bill.”
