Justice Department officials have shot down reports that Special Counsel Robert Mueller would be sending Attorney General William Barr his final report next week.
Officials told multiple news outlets that Mueller’s investigation would not be delivered next week, when President Trump is traveling to Vietnam for his second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. It had been widely speculated this week that the Mueller was days away from being done.
Mueller is required to submit a confidential report to the attorney general after he wraps up his investigation. In the report, Mueller must explain why he decided to bring charges against or not prosecute any matters under investigation.
Rules do not require the report to be shared with Congress or be made public, but Barr is required to inform Congress if the Justice Department prevented Mueller’s team from taking any action.
Trump said Wednesday that it was “totally up to Bill Barr” over whether Mueller’s report was released while he was in Vietnam next week. He’s a tremendous man, a tremendous person, who really respects this country and respects the Justice Department, so that’ll be totally up to him,” Trump told reporters in the White House.
