When special counsel Robert Mueller completes his Russia investigation findings Attorney General William Barr must give Congress an account of every instance where Mueller’s supervisors told him “no” during his work. The reporting requirement is one of the regulations Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein included when he appointed Mueller. It’s expected to be one of the few items on a fast track for being made public that will be closely scrutinized for insights into the inner workings of the special counsel’s tight-lipped investigation, Politico reports. Barr’s report could end up being blank, which would be a telling reveal that gives President Trump and the leaders of the Justice Department he appointed tangible proof that the special counsel was allowed to carry out his investigation without interference.
By contrast, a report that includes revelations detailing instances in which Mueller clashed with his department supervisors — say, over a subpoena for the president or an indictment against a top Trump aide or family member — would open a road map for Democratic lawmakers who have begun their own investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 elections, as well as the president’s conduct. “Either way, it’s significant,” said Sol Wisenberg, a former deputy on independent counsel Kenneth Starr’s investigation of President Bill Clinton. “Assuming Mueller doesn’t indict anybody else, Trump will be able to say this guy wasn’t kept at all from going anywhere he wanted to go. So I think that’s a big deal.” Mueller answers to Trump-appointed Justice officials, led first by Rosenstein, then acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker and now Barr. Any instances in which Mueller’s supervisor rejected a proposed action must be compiled into an explanatory report delivered to the Democratic and Republican leaders of the House and Senate judiciary committees.