US House unanimously demands Mueller report be made public

Yahoo – AFP, March 14, 2019

Special Counsel Robert Mueller is believed close to wrapping up his investigation
of whether Donald Trump's campaign colluded with Russia (AFP Photo/SAUL LOEB)

Washington (AFP) - The US House of Representatives voted unanimously Thursday to demand that Special Counsel Robert Mueller's full report on his Russian election meddling investigation be made public.

The House voted 420-0 on the non-binding resolution, signaling strong opposition to any move that President Donald Trump and his Attorney General Bill Barr might make to restrict access by Congress or the public to Mueller's findings.

While Republicans condemned the resolution as a political move, ultimately 190 voted in favor.

The vote came as expectations rise that Mueller is near to bringing to a close a nearly two-year-old investigation that has focused on whether Trump's 2016 campaign colluded with the Russians.

Democrats speculate that the report might have enough evidence to support an impeachment effort against the president.

Mueller has indicted over three dozen people and companies, including six former close aides or associates of Trump.

Five have pleaded or been found guilty, including former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, who was sentence to prison for seven and a half years in two cases, the second of which concluded on Wednesday.

The sixth, political consultant Roger Stone, was appearing in court Thursday.

Mueller is believed to still be building possible cases against Trump associates, potentially targeting Trump himself and members of his family.

Court filings indicate he has at least one grand jury operating in secret.

The vote came after Barr refused in his confirmation hearings in February to commit to releasing Mueller's eventual report in full.

"I am deeply concerned that Attorney General Barr may attempt to withhold Mueller's full report from the public and the underlying evidence from Congress," said House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff ahead of the vote.

"Congress will not accept any attempt by Mr Barr or the president to bury the report and the findings of the special counsel."

"Transparency is fundamental to the special counsel's process, especially when dealing with matters of national security involving the president," said House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, whose committee will oversee any impeachment motion.