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Attorney General William Barr speaks about the release of a redacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller's report during a news conference, Thursday, April 18, 2019, at the Department of Justice in Washington.AP/PTI[/caption]
Washington, April 18 (IANS): US Attorney General William Barr said on Thursday the investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller "found no collusion" between the Donald Trump's campaign and Russia during the 2016 presidential election.
Addressing a press conference before Mueller's report was made public, Barr said he gave Trump's lawyers advance access this week to the special counsel's report before it was to be sent to the Congress and that the President's lawyers did not ask for any redactions.
Trump did not even wait for the report to be released and began lashing out with a barrage of tweets denouncing the investigation. He posted a takeoff of "Game of Thrones" on Twitter that said: "For the Haters and Radical Left Democrats: Game Over."
Summarising the report, Barr said Mueller "found no evidence" that any member of the Trump campaign team conspired with Russia in its effort to interfere in the 2016 election, the New York Times reported.
"The special counsel found no collusion by any Americans," he said.
Barr also defended his decision to clear Trump on obstruction of justice even though Mueller said he was neither charging nor exonerating him on the matter.
The Attorney General said the President faced an "unprecedented situation" in the course of Mueller's investigation as well as "relentless speculation" in the media surrounding Trump's own possible culpability in Russia's interference in the 2016 election.
Barr also said Mueller's report acknowledged the existence of "substantial evidence" showing Trump was "frustrated and angered by his sincere belief that the investigation was undermining his presidency, propelled by his political opponents and fuelled by illegal leaks".
The Justice Department was expected to send the redacted report to Congress at 11 a.m. (local time) on Thursday and later it will be posted on the department's website.
Mueller's report analysed 10 episodes in the obstruction inquiry, according to Barr, most of which are said to have been subject to public reporting. Mueller is said to have examined Trump's firing of James Comey as FBI Director as well as the President's desire to remove the special counsel.