Special counsel Robert Mueller on Friday delivered his final report to the Justice Department on his investigation into President Trump’s alleged collusion with Russia.
In a letter to Congress, Attorney General William Barr said he has received the final report, and said he may be in a position to reveal Mueller’s main findings as early as this weekend.
Handing off his report to Barr signals the end of the investigation that began when Mueller was appointed in May, 2017, by acting Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. Barr now has to decide how much of the report will be released to Congress and to the public, and he said he would begin assessing how much information he can release to Congress.
Press secretary Sarah Sanders said the White House hasn’t seen the final report yet. “The next steps are up to Attorney General Barr, and we look forward to the process taking its course,” she said. “The White House has not received or been briefed on the Special Counsel’s report.”
The next steps are up to Attorney General Barr, and we look forward to the process taking its course. The White House has not received or been briefed on the Special Counsel’s report.
— Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) March 22, 2019
President Trump’s attorneys Rudy Guliani and Jay Sekulow echoed the sentiments from the White House: “We’re pleased that the Office of Special Counsel has delivered its report to the Attorney General pursuant to the regulations. Attorney General Barr will determine the appropriate next steps.”
[Related: House votes 420-0 to release Mueller’s report to the public]
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell reiterated his desire for Attorney General Barr to make as much of the Mueller Report available as possible, saying in part: “The Attorney General has said he intends to provide as much information as possible… I sincerely hope he will do so as soon as he can, and with as much openness and transparency as possible.”
The controversial investigation has riveted Washington, D.C., since it began. During the course of his probe, Mueller obtained convictions against Paul Manafort, Rick Gates, Michael Cohen, Mike Flynn, George Papadopoulos, Alex van der Zwaan, Richard Pinedo, and Sam Patten. Roger Stone and Konstantin Kilimnik have also been indicted.
But President Trump and his supporters have said throughout there is no sign so far that Trump colluded with Russia to win the 2016 election.
Mueller also filed indictments against 13 Russian nationals and three Russian companies, including the Internet Research Agency “troll farm,” for the malign activities they allegedly engaged in while interfering in the 2016 presidential election.
Mueller filed additional indictments against 12 Russian intelligence officers, all members of the Russian military intelligence unit’s GRU, for their alleged involvement in the hacking of the Democratic National Committee in 2016.
[Also read: Half of Americans say Mueller’s investigation is a ‘witch hunt’: Poll]
