Special counsel Robert Mueller says President Donald Trump's efforts to influence the Russia investigation "were mostly unsuccessful," but that was because the people surrounding the president "declined to carry out orders to accede to his requests."

AP reporter Chad Day gives an initial review in this AP debrief of the two-volume report that exceeds 400 pages.

"The first volume that deals with Russian election interference and the actions of the Trump campaign is a couple of hundred pages long and goes into exhaustive detail about the information that they've gathered," he says.

"Interviewing 500 witnesses, issuing more than twenty eight hundred subpoenas, and putting together probably the most complete picture of what happened during the 2016 election involving the Trump campaign and Russia."

Mueller's report details instances by several officials, including former FBI Director James Comey, former White House counsel Don McGahn and former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, ignoring or refusing Trump's requests to interfere in the investigation.

"But some of those episodes show that Trump made several attempts to seize control of the investigation try to have Special Counsel Robert Mueller removed from the probe, or that his attorneys were trying to gather information about what people who were cooperating with the investigation were telling prosecutors," Day says.

Washington, DC - 18 April 2019

1. STILL: Redacted report of Special Council Robert Mueller

Washington, D.C. - 18 April 2019

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Chad Day, Associated Press +++PARTIALLY COVERED WITH STILL IMAGE+++

"So the headline today is that Mueller has made two big conclusions out of his report. Number one is that he did not establish that there was a criminal conspiracy between the Russian government and the Trump campaign to interfere in the 2016 election. The other is that he did not exonerate the president on the question of whether he obstructed justice, or tried to influence the Russia probe and crossed over into criminal conduct.

Washington, DC - 15 April 2010

3. FILE: Still of Robert Mueller on Capitol Hill

Washington, DC - 18 April 2019

4. STILL: Redacted report of Special Council Robert Mueller

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Chad Day, Associated Press +++PARTIALLY COVERED WITH STILL IMAGES+++

"In particular on the question of obstruction, Mueller examined 10 different episodes in which he was looking at the president's conduct to determine whether or not it crossed over into criminal conduct. Some of those episodes show that Trump made several attempts to seize control of the investigation, try to have Special Counsel Robert Mueller removed from the probe, or that his attorneys were trying to gather information about what people who were cooperating with the investigation were telling prosecutors."

6. STILL: President Trump speaks at Wounded Warrior Soldier Ride at White House

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Chad Day, Associated Press +++PARTIALLY COVERED WITH STILL IMAGES+++

"In particular, there's one episode that's related involving his personal attorney of his who is trying to gather information from former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn. Now, this is going back in time a little bit, but Flynn had just cut off contact with the Trump legal team, ahead of his pleading guilty and cooperating with the government. The report says that one of Trump's attorneys then reached out and tried to remind them that the president had warm feelings for Flynn and ask him to see if there was any information that he knew that could implicate the president. Whenever Flynn's attorneys rebuffed that effort, the attorney then said that he would remind the president that that Flynn's actions showed hostility towards the president. So, what they're showing is that they're painting a picture here of a president and people around him who are trying to shape and gather information about the probe but also to in some cases you know take control of it and influence the direction of where it's going."

Washington, DC - 18 December 2018

8. FILE: Still of National Security Adviser Michael Flynn arrives at federal courthouse

9. FILE: Still of National Security Adviser Michael Flynn at federal courthouse

Washington, DC - 18 April 2019

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Chad Day, Associated Press +++PARTIALLY COVERED WITH STILL IMAGES+++

"The report also details what happened in the months right after Special Counsel Robert Mueller was appointed in May of 2017. In particular, it shows that the president ordered his then White House counsel Don McGhan to try to have a special counsel Robert Mueller removed. Now McGahn rebuffed this effort but it shows how the president and the report quotes him saw the probe as possible end to his presidency, and something that would threaten his power. And at that point was trying to take efforts to take control of the investigation by having Mueller removed."

Washington, DC -- 15 April 2010

11. FILE: Still of Robert Mueller testifies on Capitol Hill

National Harbor, Maryland - 22 February 2018

12. FILE: Still of White House Counsel Don McGhan speaking at conservative gathering

Washington, DC - 18 April 2019

Redacted report on Russian interference on 2016 presidential election

Special counsel Robert Mueller says President Donald Trump's efforts to influence the Russia investigation "were mostly unsuccessful," but that was because the people surrounding the president "declined to carry out orders to accede to his requests."

AP reporter Chad Day gives an initial review of the two-volume report that exceeds 400 pages.

"The first volume that deals with Russian election interference and the actions of the Trump campaign is a couple of hundred pages long and goes into exhaustive detail about the information that they've gathered," he says.

"Interviewing 500 witnesses, issuing more than twenty eight hundred subpoenas, and putting together probably the most complete picture of what happened during the 2016 election involving the Trump campaign and Russia."

Mueller's report details instances by several officials, including former FBI Director James Comey, former White House counsel Don McGahn and former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, ignoring or refusing Trump's requests to interfere in the investigation.

"But some of those episodes show that Trump made several attempts to seize control of the investigation try to have Special Counsel Robert Mueller removed from the probe, or that his attorneys were trying to gather information about what people who were cooperating with the investigation were telling prosecutors," Day says.

Washington, D.C. - 17 April 2019

+++STARTS AND ENDS ON A SOUNDBITE+++

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Chad Day, Associated Press

"So the headline today is that Mueller has made two big conclusions out of his report. Number one is that he did not establish that there was a criminal conspiracy between the Russian government and the Trump campaign to interfere in the 2016 election. The other is that he did not exonerate the president on the question of whether he obstructed justice, or tried to influence the Russia probe and crossed over into criminal conduct. Now, it's a 448 page report and portions of it are redacted. We're still kind of gathering the information right now to determine how much has been withheld. We know that the attorney general said that he withheld information about ongoing investigations, grand jury material, information that could be derogatory about uncharged people, and other information that he saw fit to withhold."

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

SOUNDBITE (English) Chad Day, Associated Press

"So in particular on the question of obstruction, Mueller examined 10 different episodes in which he was looking at the president's conduct to determine whether or not it crossed over into criminal conduct. Now again, he did not determine, didn't answer the question of whether it was criminal obstruction. But some of those episodes show that Trump made several attempts to seize control of the investigation try to have Special Counsel Robert Mueller removed from the probe, or that his attorneys were trying to gather information about what people who were cooperating with the investigation were telling prosecutors."

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

SOUNDBITE (English) Chad Day, Associated Press

"In particular, there's one episode that's related involving his personal attorney of his who is trying to gather information from former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn. Now, this is going back in time a little bit, but Flynn had just cut off contact with the Trump legal team, ahead of his pleading guilty and cooperating with the government. The report says that one of Trump's attorneys then reached out and tried to remind them that the president had warm feelings for Flynn and ask him to see if there was any information that he knew that could implicate the president. Whenever Flynn's attorneys rebuffed that effort, the attorney then said that he would remind the president that that Flynn's actions showed hostility towards the president. So, what they're showing is that they're painting a picture here of a president and people around him who are trying to shape and gather information about the probe but also to in some cases you know take control of it and influence the direction of where it's going."

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

SOUNDBITE (English) Chad Day, Associated Press

"The report also details what happened in the months right after Special Counsel Robert Mueller was appointed in May of 2017. In particular, it shows that the president ordered his then White House counsel Don McGahn to try to have a special counsel Robert Mueller removed. Now McGahn rebuffed this effort but it shows how the president and the report quotes him saw the probe as possible into his presidency, and something that would threaten his power. And at that point was trying to take efforts to take control of the investigation by having Mueller removed."

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

SOUNDBITE (English) Chad Day, Associated Press

"I think the level of detail in the report is one of the most important take-aways from it. The first volume that deals with Russian election interference and the actions of the Trump campaign is a couple of hundred pages long and goes into exhaustive detail about the information that they've gathered interviewing 500 witnesses, issuing more than 2,800 subpoenas, and putting together probably the most complete picture of what happened during the 2016 election involving the Trump campaign and Russia. The other thing is how much the special counsel grappled with whether or not the president had crossed over the legal line into criminal obstruction. As you see in the second volume of the report. He details these 10 episodes, and also then discusses you know what the law is and how it applies to a president ultimately deciding that they could not answer the question because there are difficult legal issues at play, and leaving that kind of open. As we know after the report was turned in weeks ago, the attorney general then stepped in and decided that the president had not obstructed justice. And today you saw him reflect that in his news conference announcing the report."

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

SOUNDBITE (English) Chad Day, Associated Press

"Immediately after the report was announced by the attorney general this morning, Trump and his legal team claimed victory, with Trump kind of touting his usual refrain of 'no collusion.' That there was 'no obstruction' and saying it was a 'total exoneration.' Now, as we know, the report did not exonerate him on the question of obstruction of justice. But his legal team did issue a statement saying that they see this as a victory, and that what it appears is now going to be the president's strategy is to go and try to turn the tables and attack the investigators who carried out the Russia investigation.

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

SOUNDBITE (English) Chad Day, Associated Press

"Also what we will have after this report drops is that Barr will go to to the Hill to testify. Democrats are also calling for him to release the full report and say that they may go to court for that. Barr is scheduled to testify in early May. We also have seen Democrats say that they want to hear from Special Counsel Robert Mueller himself, and Barr said that he wouldn't object to that during his news conference."

+++ENDS ON A SOUNDBITE+++

Special counsel Robert Mueller says President Donald Trump's efforts to influence the Russia investigation "were mostly unsuccessful," but that was because the people surrounding the president "declined to carry out orders to accede to his requests."

AP reporter Chad Day gives an initial review of the two-volume report that exceeds 400 pages.

"The first volume that deals with Russian election interference and the actions of the Trump campaign is a couple of hundred pages long and goes into exhaustive detail about the information that they've gathered," he says.

"Interviewing 500 witnesses, issuing more than twenty eight hundred subpoenas, and putting together probably the most complete picture of what happened during the 2016 election involving the Trump campaign and Russia."

Mueller's report details instances by several officials, including former FBI Director James Comey, former White House counsel Don McGahn and former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, ignoring or refusing Trump's requests to interfere in the investigation.

"But some of those episodes show that Trump made several attempts to seize control of the investigation try to have Special Counsel Robert Mueller removed from the probe, or that his attorneys were trying to gather information about what people who were cooperating with the investigation were telling prosecutors," Day says.

Washington, D.C. - 17 April 2019

+++STARTS AND ENDS ON A SOUNDBITE+++

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Chad Day, Associated Press

"So the headline today is that Mueller has made two big conclusions out of his report. Number one is that he did not establish that there was a criminal conspiracy between the Russian government and the Trump campaign to interfere in the 2016 election. The other is that he did not exonerate the president on the question of whether he obstructed justice, or tried to influence the Russia probe and crossed over into criminal conduct. Now, it's a 448 page report and portions of it are redacted. We're still kind of gathering the information right now to determine how much has been withheld. We know that the attorney general said that he withheld information about ongoing investigations, grand jury material, information that could be derogatory about uncharged people, and other information that he saw fit to withhold."

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

SOUNDBITE (English) Chad Day, Associated Press

"So in particular on the question of obstruction, Mueller examined 10 different episodes in which he was looking at the president's conduct to determine whether or not it crossed over into criminal conduct. Now again, he did not determine, didn't answer the question of whether it was criminal obstruction. But some of those episodes show that Trump made several attempts to seize control of the investigation try to have Special Counsel Robert Mueller removed from the probe, or that his attorneys were trying to gather information about what people who were cooperating with the investigation were telling prosecutors."

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

SOUNDBITE (English) Chad Day, Associated Press

"In particular, there's one episode that's related involving his personal attorney of his who is trying to gather information from former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn. Now, this is going back in time a little bit, but Flynn had just cut off contact with the Trump legal team, ahead of his pleading guilty and cooperating with the government. The report says that one of Trump's attorneys then reached out and tried to remind them that the president had warm feelings for Flynn and ask him to see if there was any information that he knew that could implicate the president. Whenever Flynn's attorneys rebuffed that effort, the attorney then said that he would remind the president that that Flynn's actions showed hostility towards the president. So, what they're showing is that they're painting a picture here of a president and people around him who are trying to shape and gather information about the probe but also to in some cases you know take control of it and influence the direction of where it's going."

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

SOUNDBITE (English) Chad Day, Associated Press

"The report also details what happened in the months right after Special Counsel Robert Mueller was appointed in May of 2017. In particular, it shows that the president ordered his then White House counsel Don McGahn to try to have a special counsel Robert Mueller removed. Now McGahn rebuffed this effort but it shows how the president and the report quotes him saw the probe as possible into his presidency, and something that would threaten his power. And at that point was trying to take efforts to take control of the investigation by having Mueller removed."

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

SOUNDBITE (English) Chad Day, Associated Press

"I think the level of detail in the report is one of the most important take-aways from it. The first volume that deals with Russian election interference and the actions of the Trump campaign is a couple of hundred pages long and goes into exhaustive detail about the information that they've gathered interviewing 500 witnesses, issuing more than 2,800 subpoenas, and putting together probably the most complete picture of what happened during the 2016 election involving the Trump campaign and Russia. The other thing is how much the special counsel grappled with whether or not the president had crossed over the legal line into criminal obstruction. As you see in the second volume of the report. He details these 10 episodes, and also then discusses you know what the law is and how it applies to a president ultimately deciding that they could not answer the question because there are difficult legal issues at play, and leaving that kind of open. As we know after the report was turned in weeks ago, the attorney general then stepped in and decided that the president had not obstructed justice. And today you saw him reflect that in his news conference announcing the report."

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

SOUNDBITE (English) Chad Day, Associated Press

"Immediately after the report was announced by the attorney general this morning, Trump and his legal team claimed victory, with Trump kind of touting his usual refrain of 'no collusion.' That there was 'no obstruction' and saying it was a 'total exoneration.' Now, as we know, the report did not exonerate him on the question of obstruction of justice. But his legal team did issue a statement saying that they see this as a victory, and that what it appears is now going to be the president's strategy is to go and try to turn the tables and attack the investigators who carried out the Russia investigation.

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

SOUNDBITE (English) Chad Day, Associated Press

"Also what we will have after this report drops is that Barr will go to to the Hill to testify. Democrats are also calling for him to release the full report and say that they may go to court for that. Barr is scheduled to testify in early May. We also have seen Democrats say that they want to hear from Special Counsel Robert Mueller himself, and Barr said that he wouldn't object to that during his news conference."

+++ENDS ON A SOUNDBITE+++

The House Judiciary Committee has approved subpoenas for special counsel Robert Mueller's full report on his Russia investigation.

The committee voted 24-17 to give Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., permission to issue subpoenas to the Justice Department for the final report, exhibits and any underlying evidence or materials prepared for Mueller's investigation.

Nadler has not yet said if he'll send the subpoenas.

House Democrats had given Attorney General William Barr until Tuesday to produce the full report to Congress.

The Justice Department ignored that deadline, with Barr telling committee chairmen last week that a redacted version of the full 300-page report would be released by mid-April, "if not sooner."

The vote further escalates the Democrats' battle with the Justice Department over how much of the report they will be able to see, a fight that could eventually end up in court if the two sides can't settle their differences through negotiation.

Democrats have said they will not accept redactions and want to see the evidence unfiltered by Barr.

The Judiciary panel also voted Wednesday to authorize subpoenas related to five of President Donald Trump's former top advisers, including strategist Steve Bannon, communications director Hope Hicks, chief of staff Reince Priebus, White House counsel Donald McGahn and counsel Ann Donaldson.

POOL

Washington, DC - 3 April 2019

1. Wide of House Judiciary Committee members on dais

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerry Nadler, (D) New York, Chairman, House Judiciary Commmittee:

"This committee requires the full report and the underlying materials because it is our job, not the attorney general's, to determine whether or not President Trump has abused his office. And we require the report because one day, one way or another, the country will move on from President Trump. We must make it harder for future presidents to behave this way. We need a full accounting of the president's actions to do that work."

3. Wide of committee members

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. David Cicilline, (D) Rhode Island:

"This investigation was conducted on behalf of the American people when our democracy was attacked by a foreign adversary. We fought hard to protect Mr. Mueller, so he could complete his work free from political interference. And now we have a right, this committee has the right and the responsibility to see the full contents of this report and the supporting materials."

5. Mid of committee members

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Doug Collins, (R) Georgia, Ranking Member, House Judiciary Committee:

"Under regulations written by Janet Reno and other Democrats don't require him to do this, but in the name of transparency, he is. He may even furnish us the report as early as next week. Yet the chairman plows ahead. What's the rush?"

7. Wide of committee members

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. John Ratcliffe, (R) Texas:

"Mr. Chairman, today I heard you say over and over again, Congress requires, Congress requires, there are constitutional rights, or there's a necessity for this information. What I didn't hear was what law? The special counsel, where in the special counsel regulation does it say that the special, that the attorney general must turn over an unredacted full Special Counsel report? The special counsel regulation doesn't say that. No law says that."

9. Wide of Judiciary Committee members voting on resolution

Attorney General Jeff Sessions was interviewed for hours last week in special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation, the Justice Department confirmed Tuesday. He's the highest-ranking Trump administration official and first Cabinet member known to have submitted to questioning.

The interview came as Mueller investigates whether President Donald Trump's actions in office, including the firing of FBI Director James Comey, constitute efforts to obstruct the FBI probe into contacts between his 2016 campaign and Russia. Trump's own lawyers are discussing the prospect of an interview with the president himself, and White House officials state publicly that they anticipate a resolution soon to the investigation.

The questioning of the country's chief law enforcement officer is a reflection of investigators' continued interest in whether the president took steps to improperly obstruct justice. That question has been at the heart of the investigation for months as agents and prosecutors have questioned multiple current and former White House officials.

Sessions himself is seen as a potentially important witness given his direct involvement in the May 9 firing of Comey.

The White House initially said the termination was done on the recommendation of the Justice Department and cited a memo from Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein that faulted Comey for his handling of the Hillary Clinton email server investigation as justification.

But Trump said later that he was thinking of "this Russia thing" when he fired Comey, and he had decided to make the move even before the Justice Department's recommendations.

Sessions was one of Trump's earliest and most loyal allies, the first senator to endorse him during the presidential campaign.

But his decision to step aside from the Russia investigation has strained their bond, and the two men now rarely speak directly. Trump saw the recusal as weak and disloyal, believing his attorney general should be doing more to protect him

Over the past several months Mueller investigators have spoken with other key people close to the president, including White House Counsel Don McGahn, former chief of staff Reince Priebus and Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

Sessions' attorney, Chuck Cooper, declined to comment, as did the White House.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 5 September 2017

1. FILE Sessions speaking at Department of Justice about DACA

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 23 January 2018

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, AP Reporter:

"Jeff Sessions is the country's chief law enforcement officer. He is the first cabinet member who has been known to be interviewed by Special Counsel Mueller. He's the highest ranking Trump administration official who we know, and what it indicates is a continued interest by Mueller and his team in questions about whether the president committed obstruction of justice while in office."

ASSOCIATED PRES

Washington - 5 September 2017

3. FILE Sessions speaking at Department of Justice about DACA

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 23 January 2018

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, AP Reporter:

"What he actually most critically is involved in was the firing of FBI Director Jim Comey back in May, and that is one of the critical episodes of the Trump presidency that's been under investigation by Bob Mueller."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 9 February 2017

5. FILE Various Jeff Sessions being sworn in as attorney general by President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 23 January 2018

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, AP Reporter:

"And it's part of a series of questions as to whether the president took actions while in office to stymie the FBI investigation into contacts between his campaign and Russia. And you'll remember that Jeff Sessions was very important to that because he is somebody who endorsed the firing of Director Comey."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 9 February 2017

7. FILE Jeff Sessions being sworn in as attorney general by President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 23 January 2018

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, AP Reporter:

"We know that the special counsel's office has interviewed multiple current and former White House officials including the president's own son in law Jared Kushner, White House counsel Don McGahn and the former chief of staff Reince Priebus. We also know that special counsel Mueller has expressed interest in a potential interview down the road with the president."

US POOL

Washington - 9 February 2017

9. FILE Newly appointed U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions arriving at the Department of Justice and shaking hands with staff

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 23 January 2018

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, AP Reporter:

"White House lawyer Ty Cobb has been on record as saying he anticipates the investigation will resolve soon. He's put a time frame of four to six weeks. We're not sure if that's actually going to happen. It's sort of hard to predict for anyone when these investigations will end."

US POOL

Washington - 9 February 2017

11. FILE Newly appointed U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions arriving at the Department of Justice and shaking hands with staff

Attorney General Jeff Sessions was interviewed for hours last week in special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation, the Justice Department confirmed Tuesday. He's the highest-ranking Trump administration official and first Cabinet member known to have submitted to questioning.

The interview came as Mueller investigates whether President Donald Trump's actions in office, including the firing of FBI Director James Comey, constitute efforts to obstruct the FBI probe into contacts between his 2016 campaign and Russia. Trump's own lawyers are discussing the prospect of an interview with the president himself, and White House officials state publicly that they anticipate a resolution soon to the investigation.

The questioning of the country's chief law enforcement officer is a reflection of investigators' continued interest in whether the president took steps to improperly obstruct justice. That question has been at the heart of the investigation for months as agents and prosecutors have questioned multiple current and former White House officials.

Sessions himself is seen as a potentially important witness given his direct involvement in the May 9 firing of Comey. The White House initially said the termination was done on the recommendation of the Justice Department and cited a memo from Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein that faulted Comey for his handling of the Hillary Clinton email server investigation as justification.

But Trump said later that he was thinking of "this Russia thing" when he fired Comey, and he had decided to make the move even before the Justice Department's recommendations.

Sessions was one of Trump's earliest and most loyal allies, the first senator to endorse him during the presidential campaign. They shared an ambitious law-and-order agenda that focuses on hawkish immigration policies and tough-on-crime strategies that engendered affection from many conservatives.

He has continued to push Trump's agenda on everything from gangs and the opioid crisis to religious freedom, giving the president credit every step of the way.

But his decision to step aside from the Russia investigation has strained their bond, and the two men now rarely speak directly. Trump saw the recusal as weak and disloyal, believing his attorney general should be doing more to protect him

Over the past several months Mueller investigators have spoken with other key people close to the president, including White House Counsel Don McGahn, former chief of staff Reince Priebus and Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

Mueller has conveyed interest in speaking with the president, and White House attorney Ty Cobb said that is "under active discussion" with Trump's individual lawyers. He said last week on a CBS News' political podcast, "The Takeout," that he expected the investigation to be wrapped up within weeks.

Sessions recused himself from the Russia investigation in early March after acknowledging that he had had two previously undisclosed encounters with the Russian ambassador during Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. He said at the time that it would be improper for him to oversee a probe into a campaign for which he was a vocal and prominent supporter.

Since then, Trump has lashed out repeatedly on Twitter at Sessions and the Justice Department.

People familiar with the matter have told The Associated Press that McGahn had contacted Sessions to urge him to retain control of the investigation. McGahn was acting at the behest of the president, according to one of those people, who spoke only on condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to speak publicly by name.

Rosenstein appointed Mueller, a former FBI director, to take over the Russia investigation one week after Comey was fired. He oversees the work of Mueller's investigators, but he told the AP in an interview last June that he, too, would recuse himself if his actions ever became relevant to the probe.

Sessions' attorney, Chuck Cooper, declined to comment, as did the White House.

Four people have so far been charged in the Mueller investigation, including former White House National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort. Flynn and George Papadopoulos, a former campaign foreign policy adviser, have pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI.

Sessions' interview with the Mueller team was first reported by The New York Times.

++SOUNDBITES PARTIALLY COVERED BY VIDEO++

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 5 September 2017

1. FILE Various Sessions speaking at Department of Justice about DACA

ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington - 23 January 2018

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, AP Reporter:

"Jeff Sessions is the country's chief law enforcement officer. He is the first cabinet member who has been known to be interviewed by Special Counsel Mueller. He's the highest ranking Trump administration official who we know, and what it indicates is a continued interest by Mueller and his team in questions about whether the president committed obstruction of justice while in office."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 9 February 2017

3. FILE Various Jeff Sessions being sworn in as attorney general by President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 23 January 2018

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, AP Reporter:

"What he actually most critically is involved in was the firing of FBI Director Jim Comey back in May, and that is one of the critical episodes of the Trump presidency that's been under investigation by Bob Mueller. And it's part of a series of questions as to whether the president took actions while in office to stymie the FBI investigation into contacts between his campaign and Russia. And you'll remember that Jeff Sessions was very important to that because he is somebody who endorsed the firing of Director Comey."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 9 February 2017

5. FILE Jeff Sessions being sworn in as attorney general by President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 23 January 2018

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, AP Reporter:

"We know that the special counsel's office has interviewed multiple current and former White House officials including the president's own son in law Jared Kushner, White House counsel Don McGahn and the former chief of staff Reince Priebus. We also know that special counsel Mueller has expressed interest in a potential interview down the road with the president."

US POOL

Washington - 9 February 2017

7. FILE Newly appointed U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions arriving at the Department of Justice and shaking hands with staff

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 23 January 2018

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, AP Reporter:

"White House lawyer Ty Cobb has been on record as saying he anticipates the investigation will resolve soon. He's put a time frame of four to six weeks. We're not sure if that's actually going to happen. It's sort of hard to predict for anyone when these investigations will end."

Attorney General Jeff Sessions was interviewed for hours last week in special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation, the Justice Department confirmed Tuesday. He's the highest-ranking Trump administration official and first Cabinet member known to have submitted to questioning.

The interview came as Mueller investigates whether President Donald Trump's actions in office, including the firing of FBI Director James Comey, constitute efforts to obstruct the FBI probe into contacts between his 2016 campaign and Russia. Trump's own lawyers are discussing the prospect of an interview with the president himself, and White House officials state publicly that they anticipate a resolution soon to the investigation.

The questioning of the country's chief law enforcement officer is a reflection of investigators' continued interest in whether the president took steps to improperly obstruct justice. That question has been at the heart of the investigation for months as agents and prosecutors have questioned multiple current and former White House officials.

Sessions himself is seen as a potentially important witness given his direct involvement in the May 9 firing of Comey.

The White House initially said the termination was done on the recommendation of the Justice Department and cited a memo from Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein that faulted Comey for his handling of the Hillary Clinton email server investigation as justification.

But Trump said later that he was thinking of "this Russia thing" when he fired Comey, and he had decided to make the move even before the Justice Department's recommendations.

Sessions was one of Trump's earliest and most loyal allies, the first senator to endorse him during the presidential campaign.

But his decision to step aside from the Russia investigation has strained their bond, and the two men now rarely speak directly. Trump saw the recusal as weak and disloyal, believing his attorney general should be doing more to protect him

Over the past several months Mueller investigators have spoken with other key people close to the president, including White House Counsel Don McGahn, former chief of staff Reince Priebus and Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

Sessions' attorney, Chuck Cooper, declined to comment, as did the White House.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 5 September 2017

1. FILE Sessions speaking at Department of Justice about DACA

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 23 January 2018

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, AP Reporter:

"Jeff Sessions is the country's chief law enforcement officer. He is the first cabinet member who has been known to be interviewed by Special Counsel Mueller. He's the highest ranking Trump administration official who we know, and what it indicates is a continued interest by Mueller and his team in questions about whether the president committed obstruction of justice while in office."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 5 September 2017

3. FILE Sessions speaking at Department of Justice about DACA

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 23 January 2018

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, AP Reporter:

"What he actually most critically is involved in was the firing of FBI Director Jim Comey back in May, and that is one of the critical episodes of the Trump presidency that's been under investigation by Bob Mueller."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 9 February 2017

5. FILE Various Jeff Sessions being sworn in as attorney general by President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 23 January 2018

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, AP Reporter:

"And it's part of a series of questions as to whether the president took actions while in office to stymie the FBI investigation into contacts between his campaign and Russia. And you'll remember that Jeff Sessions was very important to that because he is somebody who endorsed the firing of Director Comey."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 9 February 2017

7. FILE Jeff Sessions being sworn in as attorney general by President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 23 January 2018

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, AP Reporter:

"We know that the special counsel's office has interviewed multiple current and former White House officials including the president's own son in law Jared Kushner, White House counsel Don McGahn and the former chief of staff Reince Priebus. We also know that special counsel Mueller has expressed interest in a potential interview down the road with the president."

US POOL

Washington - 9 February 2017

9. FILE Newly appointed U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions arriving at the Department of Justice and shaking hands with staff

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 23 January 2018

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Tucker, AP Reporter:

"White House lawyer Ty Cobb has been on record as saying he anticipates the investigation will resolve soon. He's put a time frame of four to six weeks. We're not sure if that's actually going to happen. It's sort of hard to predict for anyone when these investigations will end."

US POOL

Washington - 9 February 2017

11. FILE Newly appointed U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions arriving at the Department of Justice and shaking hands with staff

Following a hearing with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Tuesday, many Senators seemed dissatisfied with the tech mogul's testimony.

Zuckerberg disclosed Tuesday his company is "working with" special counsel Robert Mueller in the federal probe of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential campaign — and working hard to change its own operations after the harvesting of users' private information by a Trump campaign-affiliated data-mining company.

"We have to continue to press Facebook, continue to press Mr. Zuckerberg," said Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., after the hearing.

The founder of the social media giant publicly apologized for his company's errors in failing to better protect the personal information of its millions of users, a controversy that has brought a flood of bad publicity and sent the company's stock value plunging.

"I'm not yet satisfied that we've got an accounting for why Facebook took so long to be fully transparent with the public about what happened with Cambridge Analytica," said Sen. Chris Coons, D-Delaware.

Coons also criticized President Donald Trump for tweets he made Tuesday accusing Special Counsel Robert Mueller of violating attorney-client privilege.

"My concern is that as this investigation gets closer and closer to him or his family or his attorney, he is more likely to take some abrupt and unwise action," he said.

Washington - April 10, 2018

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Ed Markey, (D) Massachusetts

"In my opinion, we have to continue to press Facebook continue to press Mr. Zuckerberg. It should be the parents of America not Facebook who determine whether or not children's information is resold to third parties. That should be a fundamental privacy bill of rights for young people in our country. I think that's why most Americans are watching. They want to know the answer to these questions. Everything that happened in Cambridge Analytica is something that then raises questions in American families about what protections they have, what protections their children have."

++SOUNDBITES SEPARATED BY BLACK++

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Ed Markey, (D) Massachusetts

"I hope that he provides all of the information which the Mueller investigation is requiring. I think it's absolutely indispensable that the American people have every bit of information out in public which makes it possible for them to determine whether or not there was, in fact, an interference with the election of 2016. It's a sacred institution that we fought the American Revolution to protect. And Facebook should provide every bit of information which is necessary for them to be able in the Mueller investigation to get the answers for the American people."

3. Sen. Dick Durbin enters

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Dick Durbin, (D) Illinois

"There is a genuine concern with the decision by the U.S. attorney of the Southern District of New York to go into Mr. Cohen's law offices and private residence. This is getting closer and closer to the President, and we hope he does not over-react. Leaders within the Republican Party has said consistently that he should not fire Bob Mueller."

5. Wide of Sen. Chris Coons

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Chris Coons, (D) Delaware

"I'm not yet satisfied that we've got an accounting for why Facebook took so long to be fully transparent with the public about what happened with Cambridge Analytica."

++SOUNDBITES SEPARATED BY BLACK++

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Chris Coons, (D) Delaware

"I think this will be the first of several important hearings that will allow the American people to better understand the ways in which their personal data has been monetized, and in some cases misused by important social media platforms like Facebook and others. While I was encouraged by the positive statements made by Mr. Zuckerberg at the beginning of the hearing, in my questioning I try to point out to him that there have been many cases where profits seem to be put ahead of privacy."

++SOUNDBITES SEPARATED BY BLACK++

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Chris Coons, (D) Delaware

"President Trump has made a number of really disturbing statements in recent days -- particularly following a Department of Justice and FBI raid on his personal attorney Michael Cohen's home and office. And more and more, President Trump is saying things about his view that Robert Mueller's investigation is a witch hunt that the attorney general Jeff Sessions shouldn't have recused himself. Now we know full well that months ago President Trump was determined to fire Robert Mueller and was only stopped by his own White House counsel Don McGahn threatening to resign. My concern is that as this investigation gets closer and closer to him or his family or his attorney he is more likely to take some abrupt abrupt and unwise action on a bipartisan basis, Republicans and Democrats have said in the Senate don't do that. It's not in our country's interest. It's not in your interest."

++SOUNDBITES SEPARATED BY BLACK++

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Bill Nelson (D) Florida

"But my personal information -- I don't want the Russians to have it, I don't want commercial users to have it. My personally identifiable private information ought to be private to me."

House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler said his committee is filing a court petition Friday in an effort to obtain secret grand jury material underlying former special counsel Robert Mueller's report.

The panel is also expected to file a lawsuit next week to try to enforce a subpoena against former White House counsel Donald McGahn, a key Mueller witness, if he doesn't comply before then.

That suit is expected to challenge the White House's claim that former White House employees have "absolute immunity" from testifying before Congress.

The move comes after Mueller's testimony Wednesday to Congress saying he had not "exculpated" President Donald Trump. Democrats are trying to focus public attention on Mueller's words and on his 448-page report's contents, including several episodes in which Trump sought to influence the special counsel's investigation into Russia election interference.

Mueller concluded that he could not exonerate Trump on obstruction of justice. He also concluded that there was no evidence of a criminal conspiracy between Trump's campaign and Russia.

The panel has struggled to bring in witnesses like McGahn who spoke extensively to Mueller because the White House has directed them to refuse to testify. Trump has said he will fight "all of the subpoenas."

Nadler said the committee is still negotiating with McGahn for documents and testimony, and the committee will file the lawsuit "in very short order" if he does not comply.

The court battles are beginning as the House leaves for a six-week recess and Democrats are debating whether to impeach the Republican president. More than 90 House Democrats have said they favor starting the impeachment process, but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said she wants to build the strongest case possible before making that decision, including by going to court to force witnesses to comply.

Nadler said the court filing will include a line saying that the materials are necessary "to determine whether the committee should recommend articles of impeachment."

Washington, DC - 26 July 2019

1. Wide, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler walks into briefing room, along with members of committee

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Jerrold Nadler, House Judiciary Committee Chairman:

"Before he (Robert Mueller) ever stepped into our hearing room, the director had rendered our country a great and necessary public service. He showed through his report and his indictments that the United States was attacked and remains under siege by a foreign adversary. He showed that the Trump campaign both welcomed and benefited from this attack on our country. And he showed that the president repeatedly lied to cover it up. And if that were not enough. Director Mueller's testimony removed all doubt. He told us that Donald Trump obstructed justice and abused his office by tampering with witnesses, attempting to block the investigation and attempting to fire the special counsel. He told us that Donald Trump lied to the public about the Trump Tower meeting in New York. Lied to the public about his plans for Trump Tower in Moscow and lied in his written responses to the special counsel. He told us in a remarkable exchange with Mr. (Ted) Lieu that but for the Department of Justice policy from prohibiting, prohibiting from doing so, he would have indicted President Trump."

3. Wide, news conference

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerrold Nadler, House Judiciary Committee Chairman:

"We will continue to seek testimony from key fact witnesses.  As many of you know the committee has authorized several additional subpoenas. Our work will continue into the August recess and we will use those subpoenas, if we must. We will also continue to seek important documents from the Department of Justice and the White House. We have made some progress on this front. There appears to be compelling evidence of the President's misconduct outside of the four corners of the redacted version of the Mueller Report. And we will work to uncover that evidence as well. Finally, today we are filing an application for the grand jury material underlying the Mueller report. That information is critically important for our ability to examine witnesses including former White House counsel Don McGahn and to investigate the president's misconduct. I will not comment on reports of our ongoing negotiations with Mr. McGahn but unless he complies with our accommodation efforts in very short order we expect to file an additional suit to enforce a subpoena for his testimony and that would be next week or earlier next week."

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, Democrat - Pennsylvania:

"The court filings today are the next step and we'll continue down that road to see whether we have the strong case that is needed to put to the American people."

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Eric Swalwell, Democrat - California:

"Well if you shut up expecting a Broadway show sure you may have been disappointed but if you listened to what he said he said that the Russians attacked us they had a preference for Donald Trump. The Trump campaign welcomed it and planned around it and when the police investigated it they took great lengths to cover it up including the president and the president is the only person in America who would be shielded from being held accountable because of what they did. That is pretty cut and dry. And what you've seen is not members who have called for impeachment saying take me off of that call in light of what Mr. Mueller have said. Six members since have come forward and have said add me to that call for impeachment."

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Madeleine Dean, Democrat - Pennsylvania:

"And what I believe we really should be focused on is not the performance of Mr. Mueller but the performance or behaviors of this president, obstructing justice. That's the performance you need to be examining. The performance of the Trump administration welcoming, wallowing in interference by Russia. The performance of Russia interfering with our elections in massive and sweeping ways that will continue. And a Senate yesterday that did nothing, in fact blocked attempts, to take care of or protect our elections."

8. Wide

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Veronica Escobar, Democrat - Texas:

"We're crossing a threshold. Absolutely. When you think about the, the, the mode that we were operating under before it really was an oversight function. We're now crossing a threshold with the filing of this, of this, with this filing and we are now officially entering into an examination of whether or not to recommend the articles of impeachment. So it's we have crossed a threshold. I just wanted to make that real clear."

10. Pan as members walk away

House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler said his committee is filing a court petition Friday in an effort to obtain secret grand jury material underlying former special counsel Robert Mueller's report.

The panel is also expected to file a lawsuit next week to try to enforce a subpoena against former White House counsel Donald McGahn, a key Mueller witness, if he doesn't comply before then.

That suit is expected to challenge the White House's claim that former White House employees have "absolute immunity" from testifying before Congress.

The move comes after Mueller's testimony Wednesday to Congress saying he had not "exculpated" President Donald Trump. Democrats are trying to focus public attention on Mueller's words and on his 448-page report's contents, including several episodes in which Trump sought to influence the special counsel's investigation into Russia election interference.

Mueller concluded that he could not exonerate Trump on obstruction of justice. He also concluded that there was no evidence of a criminal conspiracy between Trump's campaign and Russia.

The panel has struggled to bring in witnesses like McGahn who spoke extensively to Mueller because the White House has directed them to refuse to testify. Trump has said he will fight "all of the subpoenas."

Nadler said the committee is still negotiating with McGahn for documents and testimony, and the committee will file the lawsuit "in very short order" if he does not comply.

The court battles are beginning as the House leaves for a six-week recess and Democrats are debating whether to impeach the Republican president. More than 90 House Democrats have said they favor starting the impeachment process, but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said she wants to build the strongest case possible before making that decision, including by going to court to force witnesses to comply.

Nadler said the court filing will include a line saying that the materials are necessary "to determine whether the committee should recommend articles of impeachment."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 26 July 2019

1. Wide, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler walks into briefing room, along with members of committee

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Jerrold Nadler, House Judiciary Committee Chairman:

"Before he (Robert Mueller) ever stepped into our hearing room, the director had rendered our country a great and necessary public service. He showed through his report and his indictments that the United States was attacked and remains under siege by a foreign adversary. He showed that the Trump campaign both welcomed and benefited from this attack on our country. And he showed that the president repeatedly lied to cover it up. And if that were not enough. Director Mueller's testimony removed all doubt. He told us that Donald Trump obstructed justice and abused his office by tampering with witnesses, attempting to block the investigation and attempting to fire the special counsel. He told us that Donald Trump lied to the public about the Trump Tower meeting in New York. Lied to the public about his plans for Trump Tower in Moscow and lied in his written responses to the special counsel. He told us in a remarkable exchange with Mr. (Ted) Lieu that but for the Department of Justice policy from prohibiting, prohibiting from doing so, he would have indicted President Trump."

3. Wide, news conference

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerrold Nadler, House Judiciary Committee Chairman:

"We will continue to seek testimony from key fact witnesses.  As many of you know the committee has authorized several additional subpoenas. Our work will continue into the August recess and we will use those subpoenas, if we must. We will also continue to seek important documents from the Department of Justice and the White House. We have made some progress on this front. There appears to be compelling evidence of the President's misconduct outside of the four corners of the redacted version of the Mueller Report. And we will work to uncover that evidence as well. Finally, today we are filing an application for the grand jury material underlying the Mueller report. That information is critically important for our ability to examine witnesses including former White House counsel Don McGahn and to investigate the president's misconduct. I will not comment on reports of our ongoing negotiations with Mr. McGahn but unless he complies with our accommodation efforts in very short order we expect to file an additional suit to enforce a subpoena for his testimony and that would be next week or earlier next week."

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, Democrat - Pennsylvania:

"The court filings today are the next step and we'll continue down that road to see whether we have the strong case that is needed to put to the American people."

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Eric Swalwell, Democrat - California:

"Well if you shut up expecting a Broadway show sure you may have been disappointed but if you listened to what he said he said that the Russians attacked us they had a preference for Donald Trump. The Trump campaign welcomed it and planned around it and when the police investigated it they took great lengths to cover it up including the president and the president is the only person in America who would be shielded from being held accountable because of what they did. That is pretty cut and dry. And what you've seen is not members who have called for impeachment saying take me off of that call in light of what Mr. Mueller have said. Six members since have come forward and have said add me to that call for impeachment."

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Madeleine Dean, Democrat - Pennsylvania:

"And what I believe we really should be focused on is not the performance of Mr. Mueller but the performance or behaviors of this president, obstructing justice. That's the performance you need to be examining. The performance of the Trump administration welcoming, wallowing in interference by Russia. The performance of Russia interfering with our elections in massive and sweeping ways that will continue. And a Senate yesterday that did nothing, in fact blocked attempts, to take care of or protect our elections."

8. Wide

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Veronica Escobar, Democrat - Texas:

"We're crossing a threshold. Absolutely. When you think about the, the, the mode that we were operating under before it really was an oversight function. We're now crossing a threshold with the filing of this, of this, with this filing and we are now officially entering into an examination of whether or not to recommend the articles of impeachment. So it's we have crossed a threshold. I just wanted to make that real clear."

10. Pan as members walk away

FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: apus121022

House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler said his committee is filing a court petition Friday in an effort to obtain secret grand jury material underlying former special counsel Robert Mueller's report.

The panel is also expected to file a lawsuit next week to try to enforce a subpoena against former White House counsel Donald McGahn, a key Mueller witness, if he doesn't comply before then.

That suit is expected to challenge the White House's claim that former White House employees have "absolute immunity" from testifying before Congress.

The move comes after Mueller's testimony Wednesday to Congress saying he had not "exculpated" President Donald Trump. Democrats are trying to focus public attention on Mueller's words and on his 448-page report's contents, including several episodes in which Trump sought to influence the special counsel's investigation into Russia election interference.

Mueller concluded that he could not exonerate Trump on obstruction of justice. He also concluded that there was no evidence of a criminal conspiracy between Trump's campaign and Russia.

The panel has struggled to bring in witnesses like McGahn who spoke extensively to Mueller because the White House has directed them to refuse to testify. Trump has said he will fight "all of the subpoenas."

Nadler said the committee is still negotiating with McGahn for documents and testimony, and the committee will file the lawsuit "in very short order" if he does not comply.

The court battles are beginning as the House leaves for a six-week recess and Democrats are debating whether to impeach the Republican president. More than 90 House Democrats have said they favor starting the impeachment process, but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said she wants to build the strongest case possible before making that decision, including by going to court to force witnesses to comply.

Nadler said the court filing will include a line saying that the materials are necessary "to determine whether the committee should recommend articles of impeachment."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 26 July 2019

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Jerrold Nadler, House Judiciary Committee Chairman: ++SOUNDBITE PARTIALLY OVERLAID++

"Before he (Robert Mueller) ever stepped into our hearing room, the director had rendered our country a great and necessary public service. He showed through his report and his indictments that the United States was attacked and remains under siege by a foreign adversary. He showed that the Trump campaign both welcomed and benefited from this attack on our country. And he showed that the president repeatedly lied to cover it up."

++SOUNDBITES SEPARATED BY WHITE FLASHES++

POOL

Washington - 24 July 2019

2. Various Robert Mueller testifying

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 26 July 2019

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerrold Nadler, House Judiciary Committee Chairman:

"We will continue to seek testimony from key fact witnesses.  As many of you know the committee has authorized several additional subpoenas. Our work will continue into the August recess and we will use those subpoenas, if we must. We will also continue to seek important documents from the Department of Justice and the White House. We have made some progress on this front. There appears to be compelling evidence of the President's misconduct outside of the four corners of the redacted version of the Mueller Report. And we will work to uncover that evidence as well. Finally, today we are filing an application for the grand jury material underlying the Mueller report. That information is critically important for our ability to examine witnesses including former White House counsel Don McGahn and to investigate the president's misconduct. I will not comment on reports of our ongoing negotiations with Mr. McGahn but unless he complies with our accommodation efforts in very short order we expect to file an additional suit to enforce a subpoena for his testimony and that would be next week or earlier next week."

The House Judiciary Committee has approved subpoenas for special counsel Robert Mueller's full report on his Russia investigation.

The committee voted 24-17 to give Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., permission to issue subpoenas to the Justice Department for the final report, exhibits and any underlying evidence or materials prepared for Mueller's investigation.

Nadler has not yet said if he'll send the subpoenas.

House Democrats had given Attorney General William Barr until Tuesday to produce the full report to Congress.

The Justice Department ignored that deadline, with Barr telling committee chairmen last week that a redacted version of the full 300-page report would be released by mid-April, "if not sooner."

The vote further escalates the Democrats' battle with the Justice Department over how much of the report they will be able to see, a fight that could eventually end up in court if the two sides can't settle their differences through negotiation.

Democrats have said they will not accept redactions and want to see the evidence unfiltered by Barr.

The Judiciary panel also voted Wednesday to authorize subpoenas related to five of President Donald Trump's former top advisers, including strategist Steve Bannon, communications director Hope Hicks, chief of staff Reince Priebus, White House counsel Donald McGahn and counsel Ann Donaldson.

POOL

Washington, DC - 3 April 2019

1. Wide of House Judiciary Committee members on dais

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerry Nadler, (D) New York, Chairman, House Judiciary Commmittee:

"This committee requires the full report and the underlying materials because it is our job, not the attorney general's, to determine whether or not President Trump has abused his office. And we require the report because one day, one way or another, the country will move on from President Trump. We must make it harder for future presidents to behave this way. We need a full accounting of the president's actions to do that work."

3. Wide of committee members

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. David Cicilline, (D) Rhode Island:

"This investigation was conducted on behalf of the American people when our democracy was attacked by a foreign adversary. We fought hard to protect Mr. Mueller, so he could complete his work free from political interference. And now we have a right, this committee has the right and the responsibility to see the full contents of this report and the supporting materials."

5. Mid of committee members

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Doug Collins, (R) Georgia, Ranking Member, House Judiciary Committee:

"Under regulations written by Janet Reno and other Democrats don't require him to do this, but in the name of transparency, he is. He may even furnish us the report as early as next week. Yet the chairman plows ahead. What's the rush?"

7. Wide of committee members

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. John Ratcliffe, (R) Texas:

"Mr. Chairman, today I heard you say over and over again, Congress requires, Congress requires, there are constitutional rights, or there's a necessity for this information. What I didn't hear was what law? The special counsel, where in the special counsel regulation does it say that the special, that the attorney general must turn over an unredacted full Special Counsel report? The special counsel regulation doesn't say that. No law says that."

9. Wide of Judiciary Committee members voting on resolution

The House Judiciary Committee is expected to prepare subpoenas this week seeking special counsel Robert Mueller's full Russia report as the Justice Department appears likely to miss an April 2 deadline set by Democrats for the report's release.

The Judiciary panel plans to vote on subpoenas Wednesday, a day after the deadline.

The chairmen of several House committees asked for the full report last week after Attorney General William Barr released a four-page summary laying out the report's principal conclusions.

Barr said in a letter to the House and Senate Judiciary committees on Friday that a redacted version of the full 300 page report would be released by mid-April, if not sooner.

At the White House, President Donald Trump said the prospect of subpoenas were "ridiculous," but that he would abide by Barr's decision on the matter.

"I think it's a disgrace," Trump said.  "These are just Democrats that want to try and demean this country and it shouldn't be allowed."

The planned committee vote, announced Monday morning, would not automatically issue subpoenas but authorize House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., to send them.

The panel will also vote to authorize subpoenas related to a number of President Donald Trump's former top advisers, including strategist Steve Bannon, Communications Director Hope Hicks, Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, White House Counsel Donald McGahn and counsel Ann Donaldson. Donaldson served as McGahn's chief of staff before both left the administration.

The five were probably key witnesses in Mueller's probe of possible obstruction of justice.

Washington - 2 April 2019

1. Wide, US President Donald Trump and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Oval Office  

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, U.S. President:

"Reporter: There is going to be a vote in the House Judiciary Committee tomorrow whether or not to authorize subpoenas to demand an unredacted version of the Mueller report and all of the background materials.  If they do vote out the authority for subpoenas will the White House fight that?

Well, I think it's ridiculous. We went through two years of the Mueller investigation. We have, I mean, not only that you read the wording that was proven ... who could go through that and get wording where it was no collusion, no nothing. So there's no collusion. The attorney general now and the deputy attorney general ruled no obstruction. They said no obstruction and so there's no collusion, there's no obstruction and now we're going to start this process all over again? I think it's a disgrace. These are just Democrats that want to try and demean this country and it shouldn't be allowed. And I'll totally live by what the attorney general ... I have great respect for the attorney general. I'll live by what he said but I will tell you this, nothing you give them, whether it's shifty Schiff (House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff) or (House Judiciary Chairman) Jerry Nadler, who I've known he's been fighting me for half of my life in Manhattan and I was very successful, thank you. But Nadler's been fighting me for years and years in Manhattan. Not successfully I will tell you anything we give them will never be enough."

3. Pan from reporters to Trump

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, U.S. President:

"This has been a very, very bad thing for our country. The question was asked before about Russia, about Germany, about all of the different things that you and I discussed so often. There's been a very bad thing for the United States. It's been a total waste of time. But what has it been a waste of time is some very bad people started something that should have never been started. And I hope that's going to continue forward, because people did things that were very, very bad for our country and very, very illegal. And you could even say treasonous. OK, thank you very much everybody. "

5. Wide, Oval Office meeting

The House Judiciary Committee is expected to prepare subpoenas this week seeking special counsel Robert Mueller's full Russia report as the Justice Department appears likely to miss an April 2 deadline set by Democrats for the report's release.

The Judiciary panel plans to vote on subpoenas Wednesday, a day after the deadline.

The chairmen of several House committees asked for the full report last week after Attorney General William Barr released a four-page summary laying out the report's principal conclusions.

Barr said in a letter to the House and Senate Judiciary committees on Friday that a redacted version of the full 300 page report would be released by mid-April, if not sooner.

At the White House, President Donald Trump said the prospect of subpoenas were "ridiculous," but that he would abide by Barr's decision on the matter.

"I think it's a disgrace," Trump said.  "These are just Democrats that want to try and demean this country and it shouldn't be allowed."

The planned committee vote, announced Monday morning, would not automatically issue subpoenas but authorize House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., to send them.

The panel will also vote to authorize subpoenas related to a number of President Donald Trump's former top advisers, including strategist Steve Bannon, Communications Director Hope Hicks, Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, White House Counsel Donald McGahn and counsel Ann Donaldson. Donaldson served as McGahn's chief of staff before both left the administration.

The five were probably key witnesses in Mueller's probe of possible obstruction of justice.

Washington - 2 April 2019

1. Wide, US President Donald Trump and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Oval Office

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, U.S. President:

"Reporter: There is going to be a vote in the House Judiciary Committee tomorrow whether or not to authorize subpoenas to demand an unredacted version of the Mueller report and all of the background materials. If they do vote out the authority for subpoenas will the White House fight that?

Well, I think it's ridiculous. We went through two years of the Mueller investigation. We have, I mean, not only that you read the wording that was proven ... who could go through that and get wording where it was no collusion, no nothing. So there's no collusion. The attorney general now and the deputy attorney general ruled no obstruction. They said no obstruction and so there's no collusion, there's no obstruction and now we're going to start this process all over again? I think it's a disgrace. These are just Democrats that want to try and demean this country and it shouldn't be allowed. And I'll totally live by what the attorney general ... I have great respect for the attorney general. I'll live by what he said but I will tell you this, nothing you give them, whether it's shifty Schiff (House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff) or (House Judiciary Chairman) Jerry Nadler, who I've known he's been fighting me for half of my life in Manhattan and I was very successful, thank you. But Nadler's been fighting me for years and years in Manhattan. Not successfully I will tell you anything we give them will never be enough."

3. Pan from reporters to Trump

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, U.S. President:

"This has been a very, very bad thing for our country. The question was asked before about Russia, about Germany, about all of the different things that you and I discussed so often. There's been a very bad thing for the United States. It's been a total waste of time. But what has it been a waste of time is some very bad people started something that should have never been started. And I hope that's going to continue forward, because people did things that were very, very bad for our country and very, very illegal. And you could even say treasonous. OK, thank you very much everybody. "

5. Wide, Oval Office meeting

The House Judiciary Committee has approved subpoenas for special counsel Robert Mueller's full report on his Russia investigation.

The committee voted 24-17 to give Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., permission to issue subpoenas to the Justice Department for the final report, exhibits and any underlying evidence or materials prepared for Mueller's investigation.

Nadler has not yet said if he'll send the subpoenas.

House Democrats had given Attorney General William Barr until Tuesday to produce the full report to Congress.

The Justice Department ignored that deadline, with Barr telling committee chairmen last week that a redacted version of the full 300-page report would be released by mid-April, "if not sooner."

The vote further escalates the Democrats' battle with the Justice Department over how much of the report they will be able to see, a fight that could eventually end up in court if the two sides can't settle their differences through negotiation.

Democrats have said they will not accept redactions and want to see the evidence unfiltered by Barr.

The Judiciary panel also voted Wednesday to authorize subpoenas related to five of President Donald Trump's former top advisers, including strategist Steve Bannon, communications director Hope Hicks, chief of staff Reince Priebus, White House counsel Donald McGahn and counsel Ann Donaldson.

POOL

Washington, DC - 3 April 2019

1. Wide of House Judiciary Committee members on dais

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerry Nadler, (D) New York, Chairman, House Judiciary Commmittee:

"This committee requires the full report and the underlying materials because it is our job, not the attorney general's, to determine whether or not President Trump has abused his office. And we require the report because one day, one way or another, the country will move on from President Trump. We must make it harder for future presidents to behave this way. We need a full accounting of the president's actions to do that work."

3. Wide of committee members

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. David Cicilline, (D) Rhode Island:

"This investigation was conducted on behalf of the American people when our democracy was attacked by a foreign adversary. We fought hard to protect Mr. Mueller, so he could complete his work free from political interference. And now we have a right, this committee has the right and the responsibility to see the full contents of this report and the supporting materials."

5. Mid of committee members

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Doug Collins, (R) Georgia, Ranking Member, House Judiciary Committee:

"Under regulations written by Janet Reno and other Democrats don't require him to do this, but in the name of transparency, he is. He may even furnish us the report as early as next week. Yet the chairman plows ahead. What's the rush?"

7. Wide of committee members

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. John Ratcliffe, (R) Texas:

"Mr. Chairman, today I heard you say over and over again, Congress requires, Congress requires, there are constitutional rights, or there's a necessity for this information. What I didn't hear was what law? The special counsel, where in the special counsel regulation does it say that the special, that the attorney general must turn over an unredacted full Special Counsel report? The special counsel regulation doesn't say that. No law says that."

9. Wide of Judiciary Committee members voting on resolution

US President Donald Trump says his White House will be "fighting all the subpoenas" issued by House Democrats in their investigations into his administration.

Trump is criticizing those investigations and telling reporters at the White House that he "thought after two years we'd be finished with it".

The president made the comments as he left the White House for Atlanta, where he'll talk about the opioid crisis.

Democrats have stepped up their inquiries in the aftermath of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 US election.

Trump says "it's enough" and that "we're fighting all the subpoenas".

One congressional subpoena the administration is expected to challenge has gone out to Don McGahn, former White House counsel who cooperated with Mueller.

The White House is also pushing back on other fronts, including House Democratic efforts to obtain Trump's tax returns and his business' financial records.

Washington - 24 April 2019

1. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump walk on White House South Lawn

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, US President:

"So the stock market and our country from an economic standpoint is doing the best probably it's ever done. We're hitting new highs again. We've hit new highs I guess close to or over a hundred times since I'm president from the time of the election. Unemployment numbers are the best they've ever been, by far. We have almost 160 million people working today in the United States. That's more than we've ever had working in our country before. We're doing well on trade. We're doing well with China."

++BLACK BETWEEN SOUNDBITES++

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, US President:

"Well, the subpoena is ridiculous. We have been, I have been the most transparent president and administration in the history of our country by far. We just went through the Mueller witch hunt, where you had, really 18 angry Democrats that hate President Trump, they hate him with a passion. They were contributors in many cases to Hillary Clinton, hate him with a passion. How they picked this panel I don't know. And they came up with no collusion and they actually also came up with no obstruction. But our attorney general ruled based on the information, there was no obstruction. So you have no collusion, no obstruction. Now we're finished with it. And I thought after two years, we'd be finished with it. No, now the House goes and starts subpoenaing. They want to know every deal I've ever done. Now Mueller, I assume, for thirty five million dollars, checked my taxes, checked my financials, which are great by the way, you know they're great. All you have to do is go look at the records, they're all over the place. But they checked my financials and they checked my taxes, I assume. It was the most thorough investigation probably in the history of our country. I think I read where they interviewed 500 people. I say it's enough. Get back to infrastructure, get back to cutting taxes, get back to lowering drug prices. That's what, really that's what we should be doing.

(reporter questions, inaudible)

Well we're fighting all the subpoenas. Look, these aren't like impartial people. The Democrats are trying to win 2020. They're not going to win with the people that I see and they're not going to win against me. The only way they can maybe luck out, and I don't think that's going to happen, it might make it even the opposite, that's what a lot of people are saying. The only way they can luck out is by constantly going after me on nonsense. But they should be really focused on legislation, not the things that have been, this has been litigated, just so you understand, this has been litigated for the last two years almost since I got into office. Now, if you want to litigate, go after the DNC, Crooked Hillary, the dirty cops, all of these things. That's what should be litigated because that was a rigged system and I'm breaking down, I am breaking down the swamp. If you look at what's happening, they're getting caught. They're getting fired. Who knows what's going to happen from now on. But I hope it's, I hope it's very strong. But if you look at drain the swamp, I am draining the swamp. Thank you very much."

4. President Trump and Melania Trump walk across South Lawn and board Marine One

President Donald Trump says his White House will be "fighting all the subpoenas" issued by House Democrats in their investigations into his administration.

Trump is criticizing those investigations and telling reporters at the White House that he "thought after two years we'd be finished with it."

The president made the comments as he left the White House for Atlanta, where he'll give remarks on the opioid crisis.

Democrats have stepped up their inquiries in the aftermath of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election.

Trump says "it's enough" and that "we're fighting all the subpoenas."

One congressional subpoena the administration is expected to challenge has gone out to Don McGahn, former White House counsel who cooperated with Mueller.

And the White House is pushing back on other fronts, including House Democratic efforts to obtain Trump's tax returns and his business' financial records.

Washington - 24 April 2019

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, US President:

"Well, the subpoena is ridiculous. We have been, I have been the most transparent president and administration in the history of our country by far. We just went through the Muller witch hunt, where you had, really 18 angry Democrats that hate President Trump, they hate him with a passion. They were contributors in many cases to Hillary Clinton, hate him with a passion. How they picked this panel I don't know. And they came up with no collusion and they actually also came up with no obstruction. But our attorney general ruled based on the information, there was no obstruction. So you have no collusion, no obstruction. Now we're finished with it. And I thought after two years, we'd be finished with it. No, now the House goes and starts subpoenaing. They want to know every deal I've ever done. Now Muller I assume, for thirty five million dollars, checked my taxes, checked my financials, which are great by the way, you know they're great. All you have to do is go look at the records, they're all over the place. But they checked my financials and they checked my taxes, I assume. It was the most thorough investigation probably in the history of our country. I think I read where they interviewed 500 people. I say it's enough. Get back to infrastructure, get back to cutting taxes, get back to lowering drug prices. That's what, really that's what we should be doing.

(reporter questions, inaudible)

Well we're fighting all the subpoenas. Look, these aren't like impartial people. The Democrats are trying to win 2020. They're not going to win with the people that I see and they're not going to win against me. The only way they can maybe luck out, and I don't think that's going to happen, it might make it even the opposite, that's what a lot of people are saying. The only way they can luck out is by constantly going after me on nonsense. But they should be really focused on legislation, not the things that have been, this has been litigated, just so you understand, this has been litigated for the last two years almost since I got into office. Now, if you want to litigate, go after the DNC, Crooked Hillary, the dirty cops, all of these things. That's what should be litigated because that was a rigged system and I'm breaking down, I am breaking down the swamp. If you look at what's happening, they're getting caught. They're getting fired. Who knows what's going to happen from now on. But I hope it's, I hope it's very strong. But if you look at drain the swamp, I am draining the swamp. Thank you very much."

2. President Trump and Melania Trump walk across South Lawn and board Marine One

President Donald Trump says his White House will be "fighting all the subpoenas" issued by House Democrats in their investigations into his administration.

Trump is criticizing those investigations and telling reporters at the White House that he "thought after two years we'd be finished with it."

The president made the comments as he left the White House for Atlanta, where he'll give remarks on the opioid crisis.

Democrats have stepped up their inquiries in the aftermath of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election.

Trump says "it's enough" and that "we're fighting all the subpoenas."

One congressional subpoena the administration is expected to challenge has gone out to Don McGahn, former White House counsel who cooperated with Mueller.

And the White House is pushing back on other fronts, including House Democratic efforts to obtain Trump's tax returns and his business' financial records.

Washington - 24 April 2019

1. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump walk on White House South Lawn

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, US President:

"So the stock market and our country from an economic standpoint is doing the best probably it's ever done. We're hitting new highs again. We've hit new highs I guess close to or over a hundred times since I'm president from the time of the election. Unemployment numbers are the best they've ever been, by far. We have almost 160 million people working today in the United States. That's more than we've ever had working in our country before. We're doing well on trade. We're doing well with China."

++BLACK BETWEEN SOUNDBITES++

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, US President:

"Well, the subpoena is ridiculous. We have been, I have been the most transparent president and administration in the history of our country by far. We just went through the Mueller witch hunt, where you had, really 18 angry Democrats that hate President Trump, they hate him with a passion. They were contributors in many cases to Hillary Clinton, hate him with a passion. How they picked this panel I don't know. And they came up with no collusion and they actually also came up with no obstruction. But our attorney general ruled based on the information, there was no obstruction. So you have no collusion, no obstruction. Now we're finished with it. And I thought after two years, we'd be finished with it. No, now the House goes and starts subpoenaing. They want to know every deal I've ever done. Now Mueller, I assume, for thirty five million dollars, checked my taxes, checked my financials, which are great by the way, you know they're great. All you have to do is go look at the records, they're all over the place. But they checked my financials and they checked my taxes, I assume. It was the most thorough investigation probably in the history of our country. I think I read where they interviewed 500 people. I say it's enough. Get back to infrastructure, get back to cutting taxes, get back to lowering drug prices. That's what, really that's what we should be doing.

(reporter questions, inaudible)

Well we're fighting all the subpoenas. Look, these aren't like impartial people. The Democrats are trying to win 2020. They're not going to win with the people that I see and they're not going to win against me. The only way they can maybe luck out, and I don't think that's going to happen, it might make it even the opposite, that's what a lot of people are saying. The only way they can luck out is by constantly going after me on nonsense. But they should be really focused on legislation, not the things that have been, this has been litigated, just so you understand, this has been litigated for the last two years almost since I got into office. Now, if you want to litigate, go after the DNC, Crooked Hillary, the dirty cops, all of these things. That's what should be litigated because that was a rigged system and I'm breaking down, I am breaking down the swamp. If you look at what's happening, they're getting caught. They're getting fired. Who knows what's going to happen from now on. But I hope it's, I hope it's very strong. But if you look at drain the swamp, I am draining the swamp. Thank you very much."

4. President Trump and Melania Trump walk across South Lawn and board Marine One

John Dean, a star witness during Watergate who helped bring down the Nixon presidency, testified Monday that special counsel Robert Mueller has provided Congress with a "road map" for investigating President Donald Trump.

Dean, telling the House Judiciary Committee he wanted to provide some historical context, compared Mueller's findings to those of congressional investigators looking into the Nixon administration decades ago.

Dean, who was White House counsel during Richard Nixon's administration, was brought in as a star witness as House Democrats opened three days of sessions aimed at focusing public attention on the findings of the Russia investigation and the president's actions.

"We have a responsibility to do this work, to follow the facts where they lead," said Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., as he gaveled in the hearing.

He said the intent was to make certain "no president, Democrat or Republican, can ever act in this way again."

Monday's hearing is the start of three days of Russia-related action on Capitol Hill. The House Intelligence Committee on Wednesday intends to review the counterintelligence implications of the Russian meddling. Mueller said there was not enough evidence to establish a conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia, but he said he could not exonerate Trump on obstruction.

On Tuesday, the House has scheduled the vote to authorize lawsuits against Barr and former White House counsel Donald McGahn for failing to comply with subpoenas from the Democratic-controlled House. The vote will put the full House on record approving the lawsuits, if leaders and committees decide they want to move forward with them.

Educating the American public on what is in the Mueller report is a priority for Democrats, who believe Trump and his allies have created the public impression that the report said there was no obstruction of justice.

Trump has made that assertion repeatedly, echoing Barr's judgment that there was not enough evidence in the report to support a criminal obstruction charge. Mueller said in the report that he could not exonerate Trump on that point.

The top Republican on the Judiciary Committee, Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia, dismissed Dean as a "godfather" figure.

POOL

Washington - 10 June 2019

1. Wide, back view of John Dean and witnesses in hearing room

2. Various, Dean and other witnesses taking oath

3. SOUNDBITE (English) John Dean, Richard Nixon's White House counsel:

"The last time I appeared before your committee was July 11, 1974 during the impeachment inquiry of Richard Nixon. Clearly I'm not here today as a fact witness. I accepted the invitation to come here today because I hope I can give a little historical perspective on the Mueller Report. In many ways the Muller report is to President Trump what the so-called Watergate road map, officially titled the Grand Jury Report and Recommendation concerning transmission of evidence to the House of Representatives was to President Richard Nixon. Stated a little differently, Special Counsel Muller has provided this committee with a road map."

4. Cutaway Committee Chairman Rep. Jerry Nadler listening

5. SOUNDBITE (English) John Dean, Richard Nixon's White House counsel:

"And I certainly hope Don McGahn is a key witness before this committee. Because of my testimony, the model code of the ABA (American Bar Association) today makes very clear in rule 1.13 that Mr. McGahn represents not Donald Trump but the office of the president. His client is the office of the president and I think he owes that office in his testimony before this committee."

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerry Nadler, Chairman House Judiciary Committee, Democrat - New York:

"We have a responsibility to do this work, to follow the facts where they lead to make recommendations to the whole House if circumstances warrant and to craft legislation that makes certain no president, Democrat or Republican, can ever act in this way again."

7. Close-up Dean looking at copy of Mueller report

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerry Nadler, Chairman House Judiciary Committee, Democrat - New York:

"We were attacked by a foreign adversary. President Trump's campaign took full advantage of the attack when it came. The descriptions of obstruction of justice in Volume Two go to the heart of our legal system. If we can agree on this common set of facts as our starting place and agree to follow the facts of the law where they take us. I believe we can make a great deal of progress in this hearing today."

9. Pan, witnesses

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Doug Collins, Ranking member House Judiciary Committee, Republican - Georgia: ++INCLUDES CUTAWAYS OF DEAN++

"And I'm sort of reminded the Russia priority issue because just a few years ago it was brought up and one of our candidates talked about Russia being a threat. And the former president, Mr. Obama, said you know that the 80s are asking for their foreign policy back. Well guess, what this committee is now hearing from the 70s and they want their star witness back in fact, it's very difficult for one of the witnesses here today ... for many of us who can actually trace the distrust in government back to the witness here today. The 70s star of obstruction. In fact I'll take it a little bit further for those of us who've been looking into this for a while and wonder how we got started here. And for those of us who've heard me discuss the fact that many on our committee and on our side discuss the fight of the corrupt cabal what we see of Strzok, Page, McCabe, Comey and others how we actually got started here. I believe that they have the godfather here today, Mr. Dean. In fact, probably had a picture up. How do we actually use the governmental resources to interfere in other people's campaigns? Mr. Dean is the godfather. They may even have a picture of you, knowing how you do it and that is here today again to talk about a president that obviously you don't like."

11. Mid, Congressmen listening to testimony

John Dean, a star witness during Watergate who helped bring down the Nixon presidency, testified Monday that special counsel Robert Mueller has provided Congress with a "road map" for investigating President Donald Trump.

Dean, telling the House Judiciary Committee he wanted to provide some historical context, compared Mueller's findings to those of congressional investigators looking into the Nixon administration decades ago.

Dean, who was White House counsel during Richard Nixon's administration, was brought in as a star witness as House Democrats opened three days of sessions aimed at focusing public attention on the findings of the Russia investigation and the president's actions.

"We have a responsibility to do this work, to follow the facts where they lead," said Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., as he gaveled in the hearing.

He said the intent was to make certain "no president, Democrat or Republican, can ever act in this way again."

Monday's hearing is the start of three days of Russia-related action on Capitol Hill. The House Intelligence Committee on Wednesday intends to review the counterintelligence implications of the Russian meddling. Mueller said there was not enough evidence to establish a conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia, but he said he could not exonerate Trump on obstruction.

On Tuesday, the House has scheduled the vote to authorize lawsuits against Barr and former White House counsel Donald McGahn for failing to comply with subpoenas from the Democratic-controlled House. The vote will put the full House on record approving the lawsuits, if leaders and committees decide they want to move forward with them.

Educating the American public on what is in the Mueller report is a priority for Democrats, who believe Trump and his allies have created the public impression that the report said there was no obstruction of justice.

Trump has made that assertion repeatedly, echoing Barr's judgment that there was not enough evidence in the report to support a criminal obstruction charge. Mueller said in the report that he could not exonerate Trump on that point.

The top Republican on the Judiciary Committee, Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia, dismissed Dean as a "godfather" figure.

POOL

Washington - 10 June 2019

1. Wide, back view of John Dean and witnesses in hearing room

2. Various, Dean and other witnesses taking oath

3. SOUNDBITE (English) John Dean, Richard Nixon's White House counsel:

"The last time I appeared before your committee was July 11, 1974 during the impeachment inquiry of Richard Nixon. Clearly I'm not here today as a fact witness. I accepted the invitation to come here today because I hope I can give a little historical perspective on the Mueller Report. In many ways the Muller report is to President Trump what the so-called Watergate road map, officially titled the Grand Jury Report and Recommendation concerning transmission of evidence to the House of Representatives was to President Richard Nixon. Stated a little differently, Special Counsel Muller has provided this committee with a road map."

4. Cutaway Committee Chairman Rep. Jerry Nadler listening

5. SOUNDBITE (English) John Dean, Richard Nixon's White House counsel:

"And I certainly hope Don McGahn is a key witness before this committee.  Because of my testimony, the model code of the ABA (American Bar Association) today makes very clear in rule 1.13 that Mr. McGahn represents not Donald Trump but the office of the president.  His client is the office of the president and I think he owes that office in his testimony before this committee."

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerry Nadler, Chairman House Judiciary Committee, Democrat - New York:

"We have a responsibility to do this work, to follow the facts where they lead to make recommendations to the whole House if circumstances warrant and to craft legislation that makes certain no president, Democrat or Republican, can ever act in this way again."

7. Close-up Dean looking at copy of Mueller report

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerry Nadler, Chairman House Judiciary Committee, Democrat - New York:

"We were attacked by a foreign adversary. President Trump's campaign took full advantage of the attack when it came.  The descriptions of obstruction of justice in Volume Two go to the heart of our legal system.  If we can agree on this common set of facts as our starting place and agree to follow the facts of the law where they take us. I believe we can make a great deal of progress in this hearing today."

9. Pan, witnesses

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Doug Collins, Ranking member House Judiciary Committee, Republican - Georgia: ++INCLUDES CUTAWAYS OF DEAN++

"And I'm sort of reminded the Russia priority issue because just a few years ago it was brought up and one of our candidates talked about Russia being a threat. And the former president, Mr. Obama, said you know that the 80s are asking for their foreign policy back. Well guess, what this committee is now hearing from the 70s and they want their star witness back in fact, it's very difficult for one of the witnesses here today ... for many of us who can actually trace the distrust in government back to the witness here today. The 70s star of obstruction.  In fact I'll take it a little bit further for those of us who've been looking into this for a while and wonder how we got started here. And for those of us who've heard me discuss the fact that many on our committee and on our side discuss the fight of the corrupt cabal what we see of Strzok, Page, McCabe, Comey and others how we actually got started here.  I believe that they have the godfather here today, Mr. Dean.  In fact, probably had a picture up. How do we actually use the governmental resources to interfere in other people's campaigns? Mr. Dean is the godfather.  They may even have a picture of you, knowing how you do it and that is here today again to talk about a president that obviously you don't like."

11. Mid, Congressmen listening to testimony