Reps. Doggett & Cicilline Introduce Special Counsel Transparency Act
UNITED STATES CONGRESS
For Immediate Release
February 26, 2019
Contacts:
Kate Stotesbery (Doggett) 202-225-4865
Richard Luchette (Cicilline) 202-225-4911
Reps. Doggett & Cicilline Introduce Special Counsel Transparency Act
Washington, DC – Today, Congressman Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) and Congressman David Cicilline (D-RI) introduced legislation to ensure that the Attorney General cannot impede public release of a Special Counsel's report. This Special Counsel Transparency Act is a companion to a bill introduced by Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT).
"Ensuring Trump cannot build a wall around the Special Counsel's work is essential to preserving our democracy," said Congressman Doggett, a senior member on the Ways and Means Committee. "For the rule of law to stand, the Administration cannot be allowed to sit on the report. This legislation safeguards over a year of taxpayer-funded law enforcement work and assures the right of Americans to see justice served. I hope the House can give strong approval to this reasonable legislation that already enjoys bipartisan support in the Senate."
"The American people deserve to see exactly what Special Counsel Robert Mueller found during his investigation, a nearly two year criminal probe that has resulted in 199 criminal charges, 37 indictments, 7 guilty pleas, and 4 prison sentences," said Congressman Cicilline, a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee. "Sadly, Attorney General Bill Barr made it clear during his confirmation hearing that he plans to abide only by Department of Justice polices that are convenient for he and President Trump, even refusing to commit to abide by career DOJ ethics' officials possible recommendation he recuse himself from oversight of the Mueller investigation. He should not be the person who decides what Congress and the public get to see. I'm proud to work with Congressman Doggett on this bill to make sure that the American people will be able to draw their own conclusions from reading the Special Counsel's report themselves."
If the Special Counsel is fired or at the conclusion of the investigation, this bill would:
- Require the Special Counsel to provide a report to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees detailing the status of the investigation as of the date of dismissal and facts found, explanations of decisions to pursue or decline prosecution, and any consultations with the Department of Justice concerning the scope of jurisdiction of the investigation;
- Require that such report include an annex of any classified material;
- Require that the unclassified portions of the report be made publicly available by the Department of Justice and that a written explanation be provided to Congress should the Department determine that any unclassified portions should not be made available.