Today the House of Representatives voted in an overwhelmingly bipartisan fashion to approve a resolution that urges the DOJ to make the Mueller findings and report available to both Congress and the public, Politico reports.
The vote was 420-0, with four Republicans voting present. Matt Gaetz [KY], Justin Amash [MI], Thomas Massie [KY], and Paul Gosar [AZ] all voted present.
The vote on the resolution, which is not legally binding, came after Republican objections that the resolution was unnecessary and a waste of time because it restates existing regulations. However, the Republicans overwhelming agreed with their Democratic colleagues when the vote was taken.
The vote served as a vehicle for Democrats to get Republicans on the record on the issue as well as way to prepare for the fight Democratic lawmakers expect when Mueller’s probe is finished. The Democrats are pushing back against DOJ policy saying a sitting president cannot be indicted and are attempting to put pressure on Attorney General William Barr, who, while promising to be transparent, did not promise to make Mueller’s findings public.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Jerry Nadler [D-NY] said, “A vote for this resolution will send a clear signal to both the American people and to the Department of Justice that Congress believes transparency is a fundamental principle necessary to ensure that government remains accountable to the public.”
The Democrats in the House have promised to use every tool they have to ensure the public gains access to Mueller’s report, including the power of subpoena.
Adam Schiff [D-CA], House Intelligence Committee Chairman, told George Stephanopoulos last month, “We will obviously subpoena the report. We will bring Bob Mueller in to testify before Congress. We will take it to court if necessary. And in the end, I think the department understands they’re going to have to make this public.” Nadler has threatened to subpoena the report as well, if Barr does not release it to Congress and to the public.
In spite of the the president’s ongoing rage against the special counsel’s probe, according to a recent CNN poll, a public report of Mueller’s probe is supported by a sweeping number of Americans.
While 92% of Democrats who disapprove of the president’s job performance think Mueller’s report should be made public, 80% of Republicans who approve of the president’s handling of his job likewise believe the report should be released to the public.
It is unlikely that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will bring the measure to a vote in the Senate, per CNN.
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