WASHINGTON, D.C.—People For the American Way today applauded efforts by Democratic committee chairs in the House of Representatives to obtain Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s full report from the Justice Department.
Yesterday, six committee chairs of House committees sent a letter to Attorney General William Barr giving him a one-week deadline to provide them the full documentation from the investigation. Despite backing President Trump’s ridiculous claims that the report cleared the president of wrongdoing, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell blocked a bipartisan resolution calling for the release of the full report and findings. President Trump, meanwhile, attacked those who supported the investigation as having done “very evil” and “treasonous” things.
In response, PFAW Executive Vice President Marge Baker said the following:
“Corruption and criminality swirl around this president, and Congress must fully investigate threats to our elections as well as potential wrongdoing by Trump. Despite yesterday’s breathless headlines and Trump’s absurd attempts to escape accountability, Congress and the public have not seen Mueller’s report or the underlying documentation. All we have is a second-hand spin document from an attorney general hired specifically because of his hostility to Mueller’s work.
“Democrats in the House are right to demand this information as a coequal branch of government to fulfill their constitutional duties. The House of Representatives voted 420-0 to demand the release of this material. McConnell’s decision to block a bipartisan call for the report’s release after backing the president’s ridiculous claims that it clears him is reason enough for House Democrats to keep pushing.
“The public statements from Trump and others in the administration characterizing critics as ‘treasonous’ and ‘evil’ are bizarre, preposterous, and ominous. The American people sent the new Congress to Washington, D.C. to provide a check on Trump’s lawlessness and to legislate in the public interest. Trump better get used to it.”
About PFAW
People For the American Way is a progressive advocacy organization founded to fight right-wing extremism and defend constitutional values including free expression, religious liberty, equal justice under the law, and the right to meaningfully participate in our democracy. Learn more: https://www.pfaw.org.