DOJ gives lawmakers more access to Mueller report

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Department of Justice has agreed to release a less redacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller’s report to more members of Congress, and to give accompanying documents from the probe to House lawmakers. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said the Justice Department agreed to provide information from 12 categories of foreign intelligence and counterintelligence materials, and it will turn over more documents down the road. Schiff and 11 other senior lawmakers have access to a fuller version of the Mueller report on Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. The Justice Department will expand that access to include lawmakers on the House and Senate Intelligence committees, though Democrats want it made available to all House lawmakers.

The compromise paused a second contempt vote against Attorney General William Barr. The House Judiciary Committee voted to hold Barr in contempt earlier this month after he declined to turn over the complete, unredacted Mueller report and underlying evidence.

Schiff said the compromise is no “substitute in any way shape or form for the appearance of Bob Mueller before our committee and the Judiciary Committee. It’s no substitute for the appearance of Don McGahn and the other witnesses.” Schiff added that he will continue pushing for Mueller to testify before his committee in an open, public hearing.