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A4 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 28 March 2019
Congress could get Mueller report in April, Graham says
By LISA MASCARO, MARY in "weeks, not months." had spoken to President
CLARE JALONICK and LAU- Democrats, meanwhile, Donald Trump about the
RIE KELLMAN Associated frowned at the waiting Mueller report, who said
Press game. Rep. Elijah Cum- "just release it." Graham
WASHINGTON (AP) — At- mings, one of six commit- said Trump was unlikely to
torney General William Barr tee chairmen who have claim executive privilege
has told the chairman of demanded the full report on any of the material.
the Senate Judiciary Com- by Tuesday, said much The attorney general re-
mittee that he's combing about the path forward leased a four-page sum-
through special counsel depends on whether the mary of Mueller's confiden-
Robert Mueller's report, re- report backs up Barr's con- tial report on Sunday that
moving classified and oth- clusion that Mueller found said the special counsel did
er information in hopes of no evidence that Trump not find that Trump's cam-
releasing it to Congress in President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media as colluded with the Russians paign "conspired or coor-
April. he departs a Senate Republican policy lunch on Capitol Hill in to influence the 2016 elec- dinated" with the Russian
South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Washington, Tuesday, March 26, 2019. tions. By Barr's account, government to influence
Graham told The Associ- Associated Press Mueller made no finding on the 2016 presidential elec-
ated Press on Wednesday whether the president ob- tion. It also said that Mueller
that he had dinner the tify before Graham's com- Department officials said structed justice, a question reached no conclusion on
previous evening with Barr, mittee after he sends the Tuesday that more infor- now in Congress' hands. whether Trump obstructed
who said he is willing to tes- report to Congress. Justice mation could be released "The president has now an the federal investigation, in-
opportunity for weeks, it stead setting out "evidence
sounds like, to do these vic- on both sides" of the ques-
tory laps," while Democrats tion. Emboldened by the
wait on key decisions about end of the investigation,
investigating the adminis- Trump on Tuesday strode
tration, Cummings said. into a high-spirited gather-
Challenges lie ahead for ing of Senate Republicans,
both the Republicans and flanked by party leaders,
the Democrats who hope saying the attorney gener-
to deny Trump re-election al's summary of Mueller's re-
next year. Both parties are port "could not have been
readjusting their aims and better." GOP senators ap-
strategies in the post-probe plauded his arrival, and he
landscape, pivoting to celebrated what he called
health care and other is- his "clean bill of health." He
sues that are more impor- showed an eagerness to
tant for many voters, even move on, Republicans said,
with Mueller's full findings specifically to focus anew
still unknown. on repealing President
Graham said the attorney Barack Obama's signature
general is going through health care law.
the report to take out grand At House Speaker Nancy
jury material and classi- Pelosi's own closed-door
fied information, neither of caucus meeting Tuesday,
which can be publicly dis- she urged rank-and-file
closed under the law. Democrats to "be calm"
Barr wants to make sure and focus on the policy
nothing is released that promises of health care,
could compromise nation- jobs and oversight of the
al security or intelligence administration that helped
sources and methods, Gra- propel them to the House
ham said. He said Barr also majority last fall.
told him he wants to check "Let's just get the goods,"
with prosecutors who have Pelosi said.
cases associated with Not that the Democrats are
Mueller's Russia investiga- forgetting Russia and the
tion. Mueller had referred 2016 presidential election.
cases to other federal Many Democrats dismiss
courts as part of his probe. Barr's four-page summary
Graham later told CNN he as inadequate.q
