A nonprofit privacy organization is suing the Justice Department for the release of special counsel Robert Mueller’s long-awaited report on his inquiry into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.
The Electronic Privacy Information Center filed its Freedom of Information Act lawsuit in the federal district court in the District of Columbia on Friday to obtain Mueller’s confidential report, which was submitted to Attorney General William Barr on Friday evening.
“The public has a right to know the full scope of Russian interference in the 2016 United States presidential election and whether the president of the United States played any role in such interference,” EPIC said in its complaint. “The public also has a right to know whether the president unlawfully obstructed any investigation into Russian election interference or related matters.”
The records, the group said, “are vital to the public’s understanding of these issues and to the integrity of the political system of the United States.”
The organization filed a FOIA request with the Justice Department in November seeking a slew of records related to Mueller’s investigation, including the report and closing documentation prepared under the federal statute requiring the special counsel to submit to the attorney general a report at the conclusion of work.
The group also asked the Justice Department for “all drafts, outlines, exhibits, and supporting materials” associated with Mueller’s report.
The center wants the court to order the Justice Department to process its FOIA request on an expedited basis.
Mueller was tapped to lead the investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election in May 2017, and the investigation has cast a shadow over President Trump’s White House.
The investigation has led to the indictments of 34 individuals and three Russian companies, including numerous people close to the president. Among those indicted were Trump’s former national security adviser Michael Flynn, his longtime political adviser Roger Stone, and his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort.
A senior Justice Department official told reporters Mueller is not recommending any new indictments.
Democratic leaders are urging Barr to release Mueller’s full report to the public and turn over to Congress its underlying documentation. Trump, too, has said he doesn’t mind if the public sees the report, saying this week “let the people see it.”
Barr arrived at the Justice Department on Saturday to continue reading Mueller’s confidential report, which has been described as “comprehensive.” He told congressional leaders he aims to provide them with the special counsel’s “principal conclusions” as early as this weekend.
