[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 51 (Monday, March 25, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1920-S1921]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                             Mueller Report

  Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, as the world now knows, yesterday evening 
Attorney General Barr sent a letter to Congress on the investigation by 
the special counsel. In his letter, Attorney General Barr confirmed the 
intelligence community's assessment that through a coordinated 
disinformation campaign and hacking operations, Russia sought to 
interfere with the 2016 election. Any attempts by a foreign government 
to interfere with our Democratic processes, successful or unsuccessful, 
must not be taken lightly.
  Though the special counsel's investigation was very targeted and 
specific, Members of the Senate Intelligence Committee, on which I 
serve, continue our work to more closely examine the matter as well as 
the broader threats posed by foreign interference as part of our 
oversight responsibilities. Although this was the major focus of the 
special counsel's investigation, it was not the most anticipated 
portion of Mr. Mueller's report.
  After reviewing the special counsel's findings, the Attorney General 
concluded that the Trump campaign did not coordinate with the Russian 
Government in their efforts to influence the election. Based on their 
reaction since General Barr released his letter, it is clear the 
partisans who will never be satisfied with any results of an 
investigation will not be appeased by this report from the special 
counsel or General Barr's summary of Mr. Mueller's conclusions.
  I hope our colleagues will trust the dedicated team of public 
servants who investigated this matter for the special counsel and now 
allow Congress to move on so we can deal with other challenges facing 
the American people. The worst thing we can do is get bogged down in a 
relitigation of all these issues over which we have no real authority 
because Congress's role is to conduct oversight for purposes of 
determining whether the laws have been faithfully executed or whether 
changes in the law need to occur. Obviously, the special counsel's role 
is entirely different. It is a criminal investigation

[[Page S1921]]

to determine whether there is sufficient evidence of a violation of a 
criminal law that would warrant presentation to a grand jury, charging, 
and then a trial. Congress's role is demonstrably and decidedly 
different.
  I would like to thank Mr. Mueller for conducting his investigation 
with the utmost professionalism. For those of us who have seen him in 
action over many years, we expected nothing different. I would also 
like to thank Attorney General Barr for promptly communicating his 
conclusions with both Congress and the American people. Throughout 
Attorney General Barr's confirmation hearings, he stressed his intent 
to release as much information as possible, and he is now in the 
process of delivering on his word.
  I agree with those on both sides of the aisle, as well as the 
President, who want the Mueller report to be released publicly. As much 
of the report as can be released, and consistent with existing law, 
should be made public so the American people can read it for 
themselves, but I also agree with the chairman of the Senate Judiciary 
Committee, Senator Graham, that we also need to understand better how 
we got to this place.
  We need to look at the decisions made by the leadership in the 
Department of Justice, the FBI, the intelligence community, and the 
Obama White House during the time in which this counterintelligence 
investigation was initiated against President Trump while he was still 
a candidate, and why, contrary to the practice as testified to by 
Attorney General Loretta Lynch, a defensive briefing was not given to 
the Trump campaign so they could know that the Russians were trying the 
doors and the windows and trying to get into the organization.
  We know now, from Mr. Mueller's report, they were unsuccessful in 
establishing a connection and collusion, as the word has been used, but 
we know the investigation that initially was started, ultimately, came 
up emptyhanded and resulted in this narrative, which prompted the 
appointment of a special counsel and this long investigation that Mr. 
Mueller has now completed. So we need to understand that better as part 
of our oversight responsibilities, particularly those of us, such as 
the Presiding Officer and I, who are on the Judiciary Committee who 
have explicit oversight responsibility for the Department of Justice as 
well as the FBI.