WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — U.S. Attorney General William Barr on Thursday released a redacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller’s report into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and potential ties to the Trump campaign, as well as possible obstruction of justice.
“This should never happen to another president again,” Trump said. “This hoax.”
But Democrats say it’s no hoax.
While the report found no evidence of collusion or obstruction, Congressman Jamie Raskin, D-Maryland, says it does not totally clear the president of wrongdoing.
“The one thing we know, this report is not an exoneration of the president,” Raskin said.
Raskin says it’s now up to Congress to get to the bottom of the important questions that have been left unanswered.
“The Congress of the United States has to look at far broader questions about the character of presidential conduct and what it means for our constitutional system,” he added.
House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-New York, wants to hear more from the special counsel.
“I have formally requested that special counsel Mueller testify in front of the House Judiciary Committee as soon as possible so we can get some answers to these critical questions because we clearly can’t believe what Attorney General Barr tells us,” Nadler said.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi released a joint statement regarding the report, saying, “One thing is clear – Attorney General Barr presented a conclusion that the president did not obstruct justice while Mueller’s report appears to undercut that finding.”
Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Maryland, says there are bigger issues at play here, as well.
“The serious issue is what Russia tried to do to America,” he said. “We’ve got to protect ourselves against that type of attack in the future.”
House Democrats have demanded that Mueller testify before Congress no later than May 23.