Special counsel Robert Mueller has turned over his long-awaited final report on the contentious Russia investigation that has cast a dark shadow over Donald Trump’s presidency.
It has entangled Trump’s family and resulted in criminal charges against some of the president’s closest associates.
The comprehensive report, still confidential, marks the end of Mueller’s probe but sets the stage for big public fights to come. The next steps are up to Trump’s attorney general, to Congress and, in all likelihood, federal courts.
The Justice Department said the report was delivered by a security officer this afternoon to the office of Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, and then it went to Attorney General William Barr. Word of the delivery triggered reactions across Washington, including Democrats’ demands that it be released publicly before long and Republicans’ contentions that it ended two years of wasted time and money.
Barr released a letter to the leaders of the House and Senate Judiciary committees saying he will summarize Mueller's findings and deliver it to Congress, maybe by this weekend.
According to a Justice Department official who who spoke on condition of anonymity, Mueller isn't recommending any further indictments in the Russia investigation.
Mueller’s work has led to criminal charges against 34 people, including six former Trump associates and advisers, five of which have pleaded guilty.
The White House released a statement saying it had not seen or been briefed on the special counsel’s document.