Update 11:23 a.m. Attorney General William Barr has released a redacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller's report on Russian interference to Congress and the public.
Update 3:29 p.m. Sen. Patrick Leahy and Rep. Peter Welch sent out statements following the redacted report's release Thursday. They criticized the attorney general's decisions around the delivery of the report, and Leahy and Welch both called for Mueller to provide testimony to Congress.
Barr said during Thursday's press conference that he has "no objection to Bob Mueller personally testifying."
Find excerpts from the Vermont congressional delegation members' responses below:
Leahy [Full statement here]:
"Despite the Attorney General’s spin and carefully orchestrated press rollout — obviously intended for an audience of one — nothing can hide that this report amounts to a formal presentment of misconduct that reached the highest levels of the Trump campaign and administration." ... "Robert Mueller did his job. Now it’s time for Congress to do our job, as Mr. Mueller envisioned in his report. In order to do so we must view the full, unredacted report. And Mr. Mueller should testify before Congress as soon as possible."
Welch [Full statement here]:
"Finally, a redacted report by Special Counsel Robert Mueller has been made public, but not before a conflicted Attorney General blatantly provided a biased and incomplete view of its findings. "It is now time for Members of Congress to read the 448-page report, conduct oversight hearings, take testimony directly from Mr. Mueller, and reach independent conclusions about President Trump's conduct and how best to hold him accountable."
Update 3:48 p.m. Sen. Bernie Sanders also released a written statement Thursday afternoon regarding the Mueller report's release. It was emailed from the Sanders campaign, not his Senate office.
Sanders' full statement is below:
"It is clear that Donald Trump wanted nothing more than to shut down the Mueller investigation. While we have more detail from today's report than before, Congress must continue its investigation into Trump's conduct and any foreign attempts to influence our election. We must also work to do everything we can to protect our future elections from the significant threat of foreign interference, and I call on President Trump and Republican leadership to stop obstructing the necessary work to protect our democracy."
Original Post:
U.S. Attorney General William Barr is holding a press conference Thursday morning at the Department of Justice. VPR will carry NPR's special coverage of the press conference on the air starting at 9:20 a.m.
The press conference is taking place the same day that a redacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller's report detailing his investigation is set to be released.
- More from NPR — "Robert Mueller's Russia Report Is Coming Thursday. Here's What You Need To Know" [April 15]
The special counsel provided Barr with the report on March 22; two days later, Barr provided a four-page summary of Mueller's report.
- More from NPR — "Mueller Report Doesn't Find Russian Collusion, But Can't 'Exonerate' On Obstruction" [March 24]
A number of Congress members, including Vermont's delegation, have called for the full Mueller report to be released. In late March, Barr said he would provide a redacted report by, at latest, mid-April — which brings us to today.
Watch a video of the press conference that started around 9:30 a.m.:
- More from NPR — "Attorney General Barr, Touting 'No Collusion,' Explains Decision Not To Charge Trump" [April 18]
Note: The headline of this post was updated following the conclusion of the press conference, and again once the statements of Vermont's congressional delegation were available.
