The Latest: Congress Won’t See Mueller’s Findings Saturday
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation (all times local):
1:30 p.m.
Attorney General William Barr will not be providing Congress with special counsel Robert Mueller’s findings on Saturday.
That’s according to a senior Justice Department official. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the person wasn’t authorized to publicly discuss the review process.
Mueller has concluded his investigation of Russian election interference and possible coordination with Donald Trump’s campaign.
Barr is reviewing Mueller’s confidential report and has said he expects to provide Congress with the “principal conclusions” this weekend.
— Associated Press writer Michael Balsamo
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1 p.m.
A Russian political analyst says if the special counsel’s report on the Russia investigation finds evidence of collusion or election interference, the Kremlin is likely to dismiss it as politicized and untrustworthy.
Pavel Koshkin of Russia’s Institute for the U.S. and Canada tells The Associated Press: “If Russia’s interference is proven, the Kremlin might see a lot of problems.”
“Russia would say ‘Oh, you know, it’s politicized, it’s like a witch hunt, we don’t trust the Congress, which is politicized.'”
Koshkin said Russian President Vladimir Putin “repeated several times that we don’t care about the domestic affairs of the United States, ostensibly. But in reality, I think (the Kremlin) does care.”
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11:20 a.m.
Attorney General William Barr is reviewing the special counsel’s report on the Russia investigation at the Justice Department.
That’s according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke to The Associated Press on Saturday. The person couldn’t discuss the confidential process publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Barr arrived at the Justice Department’s headquarters Saturday morning.
He received special counsel Robert Mueller’s final report on the Russia investigation Friday afternoon. Mueller was investigating Russian election interference and possible coordination with Donald Trump’s campaign.
Barr has said he could notify Congress of Mueller’s “principal conclusions” as soon as Saturday.
The special counsel’s full report is confidential, but Barr says he will be deciding soon how much of it he will release to Congress and the public.
— Associated Press writer Michael Balsamo
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10:05 a.m.
House Democrats will gather by phone on Saturday as they wait for the Justice Department to send them details of what special counsel Robert Mueller has found in his investigation of Russian interference.
That’s according to a person familiar with the meeting. The person requested anonymity to discuss the private call.
Democrats planned the 3 p.m. conference call to discuss strategy and their next steps after they were notified Friday afternoon that Mueller had sent his completed report to Attorney General William Barr.
Barr said in a Friday letter to the House and Senate Judiciary committees that he would share Mueller’s “principal conclusions” with Congress as soon as Saturday.
— Associated Press writer Mary Clare Jalonick
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10 a.m.
Attorney General William Barr has arrived at the Justice Department a day after receiving special counsel Robert Mueller’s final report on the Russia investigation.
Barr says he could notify Congress of Mueller’s “principal findings” as soon as Saturday. Mueller on Friday concluded his probe of Russian election interference and possible coordination with Donald Trump’s campaign.
The special counsel’s full report is confidential, but Barr says he will be deciding soon how much of it he will release to Congress and the public.
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9:40 a.m.
President Donald Trump is on the golf course in Florida a day after special counsel Robert Mueller closed his 22-month-long Russia investigation with no new charges.
Mueller delivered his long-awaited report Friday to the Justice Department, which was expected to release the main findings as soon as Saturday.
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said Friday that the next steps are up to the attorney general and the White House will let the process take its course. As of Friday evening, the White House had not received or been briefed on the report.
Even with the details still under wraps, the end of the probe without additional indictments by Mueller was welcome news to some in Trump’s orbit who had feared a final round of charges could ensnare more Trump associates, including members of the president’s family.
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1:45 a.m.
Special counsel Robert Mueller closed his long and contentious Russia investigation with no new charges, ending the probe that has cast a dark shadow over Donald Trump’s presidency. The Justice Department was expected to release the main findings as soon as Saturday.
Even with the details still under wraps, the end Friday of the 22-month probe without additional indictments by Mueller was welcome news to some in Trump’s orbit who had feared a final round of charges could ensnare more Trump associates, including members of the president’s family.
For now, the report is accessible to only a handful of Justice Department officials while Attorney General William Barr prepared to release the “principal findings” soon.
