On Thursday, Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report will be released to the public. Democrats are wasting no time with their disgraceful antics, already accusing Attorney General Bill Barr of political cover up for redacting portions of the report.
Despite Democrats’ outrage, there is no legal basis for AG Barr to release the entire report and portions are legally required to be redacted.
Legal scholar Alan Dershowitz explains...
"The special counsel, under the rules, has an obligation to file a report with the attorney general. There’s nothing in the rules that require the attorney general to make the report public, particularly if it contains information critical of people who were not indicted. So, this is a political issue. This is a media issue. This is not a legal issue."
Attorney General Bill Barr has been transparent from the start and shared the four categories which will be redacted from the report: grand jury material, sensitive intelligence, matters that could affect ongoing investigations, and infringements on the privacy rights of “peripheral third parties.”
First, grand jury material, which is secret under the law. Second, foreign intelligence that could compromise the sources and methods from which it originated, which American spies want to protect.
Third, Barr said he would redact information about ongoing cases or investigations — those taking place elsewhere in the Justice Department now that the special counsel's work is complete. . . .
And fourth, Barr told Congress, is "information that implicates the privacy or reputational interests of peripheral third parties who were not charged." The Justice Department should not reveal derogatory information about people whom it isn't accusing of breaking the law, he said.
While Democrats will no doubt continue to moan and groan for the entire report, the fact remains that Attorney General Barr is following the law to redact what is necessary within reason and for the security of our nation. Furthermore, Attorney General Barr is doing more than is legally required by releasing any of the report. Democrats should be commending his transparency.