Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) on Monday blocked a non-binding resolution to publicly release special counsel Robert Mueller's report on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
Following Mueller's submission of his final report on Friday, and U.S. Attorney General William Barr's summary of the report released Sunday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) called for unanimous consent for the House-cleared resolution to be passed by the Senate. "Whether or not you're a supporter of President Trump... there is no good reason not to make the report public," Schumer told lawmakers. "It's a simple request for transparency. Nothing more, nothing less."
But McConnell blocked the request on the grounds that Barr and Mueller are still working together to determine which parts of the report can be made public and which cannot.
"The special counsel and the Justice Department ought to be allowed to finish their work in a professional manner," McConnell said. "To date, the attorney general has followed through on his commitments to Congress. One of those commitments is that he intends to release as much information as possible."
When news broke that McConnell blocked the resolution, those eager to see the report flooded Twitter with posts ridiculing and condemning the Republican leader's decision, with some users even accusing McConnell of attempting to cover up the truth.
"Starting to seem like it's really important to Mitch McConnell that nobody ever know what happened, for some reason," Jamison Foser, from NextGenAmerica, tweeted.
Starting to seem like it’s really important to Mitch McConnell that nobody ever know what happened, for some reason. pic.twitter.com/sdo1hdBVZs
— Jamison Foser (@jamisonfoser) March 25, 2019
Former Florida Democratic candidate Pam Keith added: "I believe NOT ONE WORD from Barr, McConnell, Graham or any of their cohort. The truth is NOT in what they SAY, it is in what they DO! Their unwillingness to release the report SAYS EVERYTHING! We are being railroaded, people. That is all."
I believe NOT ONE WORD from Barr, McConnell, Graham or any of their cohort.
— Pam Keith (@PamKeithFL) March 25, 2019
The truth is NOT in what they SAY, it is in what they DO!
Their unwillingness to release the report SAYS EVERYTHING!
We are being railroaded, people.
That is all.
"If Trump is innocent, why have Linsdey [sic] Graham and Mitch McConnell both blocked efforts to release the Mueller report? If Trump is innocent, why is Barr drawing his own conclusions ignoring Mueller's inconclusive results?" Dr. DaShanne Stokes tweeted.
If Trump is innocent, why have Linsdey Graham and Mitch McConnell both blocked efforts to release the Mueller report? If Trump is innocent, why is Barr drawing his own conclusions ignoring Mueller's inconclusive results?#ReleaseTheFullMuellerReport #ReleaseTheFullReportNOW
— Dr. DaShanne Stokes (@DaShanneStokes) March 25, 2019
John Aravosis added: "Bingo. McConnell seems awfully interested in hiding the Mueller Report. If it exonerates Trump, then why hide it?"
Bingo. McConnell seems awfully interested in hiding the Mueller Report. If it exonerates Trump, then why hide it? https://t.co/ljBoIFrlHt
— John Aravosis __ (@aravosis) March 25, 2019
Read some other tweets below:
Mueller states his report “does not exonerate†Trump and now the GOP is proving it through their actions:
— Ryan Knight __ (@ProudResister) March 25, 2019
McConnell just blocked Schumer’s measure to make the report public.
Sorry @GOP, but only 35% of America is made up of Kool-Aid drinking sheep.#ReleaseTheFullMuellerReport
I think Mitch McConnell just told America that his buddy Trump is guilty.#ReleaseTheFullMuellerReport #ReleaseTheFullReport #McConnell
— Dr. DaShanne Stokes (@DaShanneStokes) March 25, 2019
You need to let the people see that report. We think you are obstructing justice.
— Coleen💙🌊🦋🇺🇸 (@CallagyColeen) March 26, 2019
What don’t you want the American people to see, @senatemajldr? https://t.co/64CYasVOJX
— Kirsten Gillibrand (@SenGillibrand) March 25, 2019
If Mitch McConnell doesn’t want the American people to see the Mueller Report, that can only mean one thing:
— Mikel Jollett (@Mikel_Jollett) March 26, 2019
They are LYING about what it says.
When I’m innocent, I want every single document that mentions my name and which would exonerate me to be made fully public. Not doing so implies there’s something to hide. What is Mitch McConnell trying to bury? #ReleaseTheFullReportNOW
— Stacy Fitzgerald (@StacyFitz) March 26, 2019
So McConnell threatened Obama over alerting Americans to Russian attacks and now he’s blocking the Mueller report release. Between Mitch and Barr, this thing was fixed a long time ago. It’s why Trump never fired Mueller.
— Adam Parkhomenko (@AdamParkhomenko) March 25, 2019
As Mitch McConnell blocks the release of the full Mueller report, remember that in Sept. 2016, US intel briefed him on Russia's interference in our election -- but instead of warning voters, he threatened to portray the intelligence as a partisan attack if Obama made it public. https://t.co/XtrGE25ej7
— Caroline Orr Bueno (@RVAwonk) March 25, 2019
Historians will describe McConnell as a villain intent on destroying America’s democracy and values.
— Bryce Tache (@brycetache) March 25, 2019
Release the FULL report @senatemajldr, you traitorous hypocrite! _#ReleaseTheFullMuellerReport #ReleaseTheFullReportNOW #ReleaseTheFullReport pic.twitter.com/RqgBPyahvF
— Darth Continent (@DarthContinent) March 26, 2019
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