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U.S. NEWS Saturday 23 March 2019

Mueller concludes Russia-Trump probe, delivers report

Continued from Front charges against 34 people,
including six aides and ad-
Barr said he could send visers to the president, and
his account to Congress three companies.
quickly. The special counsel brought
“I am reviewing the report a sweeping indictment ac-
and anticipate that I may cusing Russian military intel-
be in a position to advise ligence officers of hacking
you of the special counsel’s Democrat Hillary Clinton’s
principal conclusions as campaign and other Dem-
soon as this weekend,” Barr ocratic groups during the
said in his letter the top Re- 2016 election. He charged
publicans and Democrats another group of Russians
on the House and Senate with carrying out a large-
Judiciary committees. He scale social media disinfor-
pledged a commitment to mation campaign against
transparency. the American political pro-
The attorney general said cess that also sought to
the Justice Department help Trump and hurt Clin-
had not denied any request ton.
from the special counsel, Closer to the president,
something Barr would have Mueller secured convic-
been required to disclose tions against a campaign
to Congress to ensure there Attorney General William Barr leaves his home in McLean, Va., Thursday, March 21, 2019. chairman who cheated
was no political inference Associated Press banks and dodged his tax-
in the independent probe. authorized to discuss the view” of the findings. paign to two women who es, a national security ad-
With no details released at probe and asked for ano- “The White House must not say they had sex with him viser who lied about his Rus-
this point, it’s not known nymity. be allowed to interfere in years before the election. sian contacts and a cam-
whether Mueller’s report It’s unclear what steps decisions about what parts He’s also been implicated paign aide who misled the
answers the core questions Mueller will take if he un- of those findings or evi- in a potential campaign FBI about his knowledge of
of his investigation: Did covered what he believes dence are made public,” finance violation by his for- stolen emails.
Trump’s campaign collude to be criminal wrongdoing they said in a joint state- mer lawyer, Michael Co- Cohen, the president’s for-
with the Kremlin to sway the by Trump, in light of Justice ment. hen, who says Trump asked mer lawyer, pleaded guilty
2016 presidential election in Department legal opinions Barr has said he wants to him to arrange the trans- in New York to campaign
favor of the celebrity busi- that have held that sitting make as much public as actions. Federal prosecu- finance violations arising
nessman? Also, did Trump presidents may not be in- possible, and any efforts to tors, also in New York, have from the hush money pay-
take steps later, including dicted. withhold details will prompt been investigating foreign ments and in the Mueller
by firing his FBI director, to The mere delivery of a con- a tussle between the Jus- contributions made to the probe to lying to Congress
obstruct the probe? fidential report set off im- tice Department and president’s inaugural com- about a Moscow real es-
But the delivery of the re- mediate demands from lawmakers who may sub- mittee. tate deal. Another Trump
port does mean the investi- Democrats for full release poena Mueller and his in- No matter the findings in confidant, Roger Stone, is
gation has concluded with- of Mueller’s findings. vestigators to testify before Mueller’s report, the in- awaiting trial on charges
out any public charges of House Speaker Nancy Congress. Such a move by vestigation has already il- that he lied about his pur-
a criminal conspiracy be- Pelosi and Senate Minor- Democrats would likely be luminated Russia’s assault suit of Russian-hacked
tween the campaign and ity Leader Chuck Schumer vigorously contested by the on the American political emails ultimately released
Russia, or of obstruction by declared it “imperative” to Trump administration. system, painted the Trump by WikiLeaks. It’s unclear
the president. Mueller is not make the full report public. The conclusion of Muel- campaign as eager to ex- whether any of the aides
recommending any further The top congressional Dem- ler’s investigation does not ploit the release of hacked who have been convicted,
indictments in the Russia ocrats said, “The American remove legal peril for the Democratic emails and ex- all of whom have pleaded
probe, a Justice Depart- people have a right to the president. Trump faces a posed lies by Trump aides guilty and cooperated with
ment official confirmed Fri- truth.” separate Justice Depart- aimed at covering up their the investigators, might
day. That person, who de- Democrats also expressed ment investigation in New Russia-related contacts. angle for a pardon. Trump
scribed the document as concern that Trump would York into hush money pay- Over the 21-month investi- has left open the idea of
“comprehensive,” was not try to get a “sneak pre- ments during the cam- gation, Mueller has brought pardons.q