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| Mueller report release: Barr gives press conference ahead of publication – live | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Bill Barr is speaking at a news conference ahead of the Mueller report being released. | |
| “I’m committed to ensuring the greatest degree” of transparency, Barr said. | |
| “At 11 this morning I’m going to transmit copies [of the report] to Congress,” Barr says. The report will be posted the department’s website “after it has been delivered to Congress”. | |
| “Volume 1” of the special counsel’s report is on the topic of Trump-Russia collusion, Barr says. Barr repeats the assertion from his four page summary that Mueller: | |
| “Did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government.” | |
| Barr discusses Russian efforts to influence the 2016 election. We now know, Barr says, that Russia: “Did not have the cooperation of president Trump or the Trump campaign.” | |
| Barr says there was “no collusion” between the Trump campaign and Russia. | |
| Trump will love this: Barr states unequivocally that "We now know that the Russian operations who perpetrated these [election hacking] schemes did not have the assistance of" Trump or the trump campaign.Barr says that everyone "should be grateful" to have this confirmed. | |
| Attorney General Barr uses the words the president has been using for months: “No collusion” | |
| Trump has posted a video super-cut of him saying “no collusion”. You can watch it below if that’s your thing. | |
| No Collusion - No Obstruction! pic.twitter.com/diggF8V3hl | |
| Remember that Mueller’s report absolutely did not find “no obstruction”. On the issue of obstruction of justice, Mueller wrote: | |
| While this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him. | |
| Justice department spokeswoman Kerri Kupec said Barr’s 9.30am press conference will focus on: | |
| Addressing the DoJ’s interactions with the White House over Mueller’s report, whether executive privilege was invoked, and the process Barr used to black out portions of the document. | |
| As previously mentioned, Democrats are unhappy. House speaker Nancy Pelosi said Barr had “thrown out his credibility” and “the DOJ’s independence”. | |
| Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said “the process is poisoned before the report is even released.” | |
| “Barr shouldn’t be spinning the report at all, but it’s doubly outrageous he’s doing it before America is given a chance to read it,” Schumer added. | |
| Rep Jerrold Nadler, chair of the House Judiciary Committee, had this: | |
| I’m deeply troubled by reports that the WH is being briefed on the Mueller report AHEAD of its release. Now, DOJ is informing us we will not receive the report until around 11/12 tomorrow afternoon — AFTER Barr’s press conference. This is wrong. #ReleaseTheReport https://t.co/bR50HhGJ0i | |
| Here’s our man! And he’s rolling out the hits: | Here’s our man! And he’s rolling out the hits: |
| PRESIDENTIAL HARASSMENT! | PRESIDENTIAL HARASSMENT! |
| The Greatest Political Hoax of all time! Crimes were committed by Crooked, Dirty Cops and DNC/The Democrats. | The Greatest Political Hoax of all time! Crimes were committed by Crooked, Dirty Cops and DNC/The Democrats. |
| Trump has tweeted the phrase “presidential harassment” 14 times in the last six months. Lest we forget, Trump was a prominent “birther theory” voice and constantly harassed President Barack Obama during his time in office. | Trump has tweeted the phrase “presidential harassment” 14 times in the last six months. Lest we forget, Trump was a prominent “birther theory” voice and constantly harassed President Barack Obama during his time in office. |
| The president has also urged his followers to watch Barr’s “press conference” at 9.30am. Trump said his adherents should view it on Fox News. | The president has also urged his followers to watch Barr’s “press conference” at 9.30am. Trump said his adherents should view it on Fox News. |
| ... could prove contentious. | ... could prove contentious. |
| Barr has said the redactions will be divided into four categories: grand jury material; classified material from US intelligence agencies or allies; details that could compromise ongoing investigations; and, in Barr’s words: “information that would unduly infringe on the personal privacy and reputational interests of peripheral third parties”. | Barr has said the redactions will be divided into four categories: grand jury material; classified material from US intelligence agencies or allies; details that could compromise ongoing investigations; and, in Barr’s words: “information that would unduly infringe on the personal privacy and reputational interests of peripheral third parties”. |
| “That last category could prominently include Trump,” writes my colleague Tom McCarthy. | “That last category could prominently include Trump,” writes my colleague Tom McCarthy. |
| Barr is seen as a Trump loyalist with a low opinion of Mueller’s investigation. Barr will probably be challenged to explain why certain material was deemed unfit for public view. Democrats in the House have already said they will subpoena the full report. | Barr is seen as a Trump loyalist with a low opinion of Mueller’s investigation. Barr will probably be challenged to explain why certain material was deemed unfit for public view. Democrats in the House have already said they will subpoena the full report. |
| What else do we know about the report? | What else do we know about the report? |
| Well, it is long: at about 400 pages it’s lengthier than Donald Trump’s “co-written” book The Art of the Deal. | Well, it is long: at about 400 pages it’s lengthier than Donald Trump’s “co-written” book The Art of the Deal. |
| Barr has previously said the report is split into two parts: one part dedicated to Russian tampering efforts, and another focussing on evidence of alleged obstruction of justice by the president. | Barr has previously said the report is split into two parts: one part dedicated to Russian tampering efforts, and another focussing on evidence of alleged obstruction of justice by the president. |
| The report is the result of Mueller’s 22 month investigation, during which the special counsel issued nearly 500 search warrants and more than 2,800 subpoenas indictments, and interviewed about 500 witnesses. Mueller’s probe resulted in 37 indictments or guilty pleas, including some from Donald Trump’s inner circle. | The report is the result of Mueller’s 22 month investigation, during which the special counsel issued nearly 500 search warrants and more than 2,800 subpoenas indictments, and interviewed about 500 witnesses. Mueller’s probe resulted in 37 indictments or guilty pleas, including some from Donald Trump’s inner circle. |
| Hello and welcome to our live blog coverage of US political news. Today is a big day: we’ll finally get to see Robert Mueller’s report on Russian interference in the 2016 election. | Hello and welcome to our live blog coverage of US political news. Today is a big day: we’ll finally get to see Robert Mueller’s report on Russian interference in the 2016 election. |
| The Department of Justice is due to release the report to Congress between 11am and noon ET, then released generally on the DoJ website after that. | The Department of Justice is due to release the report to Congress between 11am and noon ET, then released generally on the DoJ website after that. |
| Barr is holding a news conference at 9.30am to discuss the report, which will clearly limit the questions journalists can ask. Democrats, including Jerrold Nadler, the Democratic chairman of the House judiciary committee, have criticized Barr’s process, accusing the attorney general of attempting to prejudice public reception of the report in favor of the White House. | Barr is holding a news conference at 9.30am to discuss the report, which will clearly limit the questions journalists can ask. Democrats, including Jerrold Nadler, the Democratic chairman of the House judiciary committee, have criticized Barr’s process, accusing the attorney general of attempting to prejudice public reception of the report in favor of the White House. |
| Barr news conference at 9:30 am, Mueller report released at 11 am: In the annals of pathetic efforts to spin apparently bad news in Washington, this ranks near the top. | Barr news conference at 9:30 am, Mueller report released at 11 am: In the annals of pathetic efforts to spin apparently bad news in Washington, this ranks near the top. |
| Sorry but this is not a press conference - it’s an opportunity for Barr to put a spin on the ball or defend himself. No one can ask real questions here. https://t.co/dNTLk95iPX | Sorry but this is not a press conference - it’s an opportunity for Barr to put a spin on the ball or defend himself. No one can ask real questions here. https://t.co/dNTLk95iPX |
| Barr released a four page summary of the report on March 25, in which he said Mueller had found no evidence that neither Donald Trump nor any of his aides colluded with Russia during the election. | Barr released a four page summary of the report on March 25, in which he said Mueller had found no evidence that neither Donald Trump nor any of his aides colluded with Russia during the election. |
| Regarding potential obstruction of justice by Trump, however, Mueller was far less equivocal. According to Barr’s summary, Mueller wrote: “While this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.” | Regarding potential obstruction of justice by Trump, however, Mueller was far less equivocal. According to Barr’s summary, Mueller wrote: “While this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.” |
| One of the big questions – once we eventually get the report – will be how much of it has been redacted. Barr says his redactions, which fall into four different categories, will be color-coded. | One of the big questions – once we eventually get the report – will be how much of it has been redacted. Barr says his redactions, which fall into four different categories, will be color-coded. |
| Follow here for the latest news and analysis as the Mueller report is finally released to the public. | Follow here for the latest news and analysis as the Mueller report is finally released to the public. |