Today, Rep. Scott Peters (CA-52) released the following statement after Attorney General Barr released a redacted version of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report on Russian interference in the 2016 election to Congress and the public:

“Though it will take time to review the full Special Counsel’s report, I am deeply troubled by what we know already. The report lays out in precise detail 10 attempts by President Trump to impede the work of the Special Counsel as well as several instances where Trump campaign officials knew of Russia’s attempts to interfere with our democracy. Yet, the Trump campaign did nothing to alert American law enforcement and even, at times, welcomed the Russians’ help. Lawyers will argue about legal technicalities, but Americans know the difference between right and wrong. They know this was wrong. 

“I’m appalled that AG Barr, who is bound to serve as America’s lawyer, not Mr. Trump’s, politicized the release of this report rather than letting the facts speak for themselves, and even allowed a briefing to the White House in advance of delivering the report to Congress. These failures of independence in the Department of Justice necessitate that Congress investigate further on its own.

“As Special Counsel Mueller explains, Congress should exercise its oversight authority as a coequal branch of government to ensure we know all the facts. That is why AG Barr should immediately release the full, unredacted report to the Intelligence and Judiciary Committees in both the House and Senate, which are entitled to exercise oversight.”