US House wants Mueller report made public

The US House of Representatives has voted 420-0 to make Robert Mueller's upcoming report into Russia's role in the 2016 election to be released publicly.

The US House of Representatives has overwhelmingly called for Special Counsel Robert Mueller's upcoming report on his probe into Russia's role in the 2016 election to be released to Congress and the public.

The 420-0 House vote, with four conservative Republican lawmakers voting "present," gave Democrats who control the chamber a political victory and put pressure on Attorney General William Barr to make the report public after Mueller submits it to him.

But the resolution does not force Barr to do so.

The measure faces an uncertain future in the Republican-led Senate.

A bid by the Senate's top Democrat, Chuck Schumer, to have the resolution approved by voice vote after the House's action was thwarted by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham.

Mueller has been investigating since May 2017 whether Trump's campaign conspired with Moscow and whether the president has unlawfully tried to obstruct the probe.

Trump has denied collusion and obstruction. Russia has denied election interference.

Mueller has not indicated when he will complete the report, though an announcement on Thursday about the coming departure of a senior prosecutor on his team stoked speculation that it could be soon.

Justice Department regulations governing special counsels give Barr latitude in deciding how much of the report to make public.

The rules require him to notify the top Democrats and Republicans on the House and Senate judiciary committees after Mueller completes his probe. They do not require release of the report but also do not prevent Barr from giving the entire document to Congress.

The vote put the vast majority of House Republicans on record as supporting broad disclosure of the report on an investigation that Trump has called a "witch hunt" led by "thugs."


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Source: AAP


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US House wants Mueller report made public | SBS News