BOSTON — Members of Massachusetts' all-Democratic congressional delegation are weighing in on the release of special counsel Robert Mueller's report on Russia and President Donald Trump, with some calling on Congress to hold public hearings.
Sen. Edward Markey told reporters Thursday the report paints "a deeply disturbing pattern of conduct by the president and members of his 2016 campaign." Markey said Mueller should testify before the House and Senate to explain his report to the American people.
"The allegations outlined in the Mueller report are alarming. We need to have a full set of congressional hearings on all of these issues so that the American people in detail can hear from witnesses what is, in fact, in the totality of the Mueller report," Markey said. "They're owed that."
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who is running for president, also said Mueller should testify publicly before Congress. Warren criticized Attorney General William Barr, who stressed at his Thursday morning news conference that there was no evidence of collusion.
"The AG is supposed to serve as the country's top law enforcement officer - someone who stands up for the rule of law & defends the US Constitution," Warren tweeted. "William Barr is standing up for only one person: the President of the United States."
The AG is supposed to serve as the country’s top law enforcement officer – someone who stands up for the rule of law & defends the US Constitution against all enemies, foreign or domestic.
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) April 18, 2019
William Barr is standing up for only one person: the President of the United States.
Rep. Seth Moulton, who is also considering a run for president, said Congress should focus on the actions of Russia and Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying the question of conspiracy isn't the most serious concern.
"Every American, whether we support the president or not, should want to know why Vladimir Putin and Russia worked so hard to get President Trump elected. That unmistakable conclusion of the report is the real threat to our nation," Moulton said in a statement.
This report is completely clear on one thing: Russia intervened in our election to help Donald Trump.
— Seth Moulton (@sethmoulton) April 18, 2019
Presidents on both sides of the aisle have been standing up to Russia for 50 years. But Putin knew Trump would be different.
We all have a right to know why.
Rep. Joe Kennedy said in a tweet that the report "makes clear that when our democracy was attacked by a foreign adversary, the President asked our justice system to stand down." He called for an immediate release of an unredacted report and Mueller's public testimony.
Congress must now respond to the questions left unanswered on obstruction of justice and that begins with the immediate release of an unredacted report and Robert Mueller’s public testimony. The American public deserves nothing less than full transparency and accountability.
— Rep. Joe Kennedy III (@RepJoeKennedy) April 18, 2019
Rep. Lori Trahan also called on Mueller to testify publicly.
In my view the only way to begin restoring public trust in the handling of the Special Counsel’s investigation is for Special Counsel Mueller himself to provide public testimony in the House and Senate as soon as possible.
— Congresswoman Lori Trahan (@RepLoriTrahan) April 18, 2019
My full statement below:
3/3https://t.co/BEQC1yWZLv
Rep. Jim McGovern, who serves as chairman of the House Rules Committee, said in a statement that Barr "outright lied about the Special Counsel's decision not to prosecute the President for obstruction of justice."
1/2 AG Barr outright lied during his press conference today. It is now clear that he is not America’s chief law enforcement officer, but Donald Trump’s personal attorney and partisan attack dog.
— Rep. Jim McGovern (@RepMcGovern) April 18, 2019
He has lost the trust and confidence of the American people and he should resign.
"Attorney General Barr has lost the trust and confidence of the American people and he should resign," McGovern said.
Digging into the details of the Mueller Report
• Mueller report: Read the transcript of William Barr's remarks
• Mueller report: Key findings from the investigation
Associated Press