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Democrats call on Mueller to testify publicly before Congress on Russia investigation

Click to play video: 'William Barr addresses reasons why Muller Report is partly redacted'
William Barr addresses reasons why Muller Report is partly redacted
WATCH ABOVE: William Barr addresses reasons why Muller Report is partly redacted – Apr 18, 2019

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler is calling for special counsel Robert Mueller to testify immediately before his committee “no later than May 23,” according to a letter released moments after a press conference by Attorney General William Barr.

“As I have already communicated to the Department of Justice, I request your testimony before the Judiciary Committee as soon as possible — but, in any event, no later than May 23, 2019,” Nadler wrote in a letter to Mueller. “I look forward to working with you on a mutually agreeable date.”

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Nadler posted a copy of the letter to Twitter shortly after Barr spoke about the redacted version of Mueller’s report and said the investigation did not find that President Donald Trump or any members of his campaign worked with Russia during the 2016 presidential election.

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“That is the bottom line,” Barr said. “After nearly two years of investigation, thousands of subpoenas, and hundreds of warrants and witness interviews, the investigation confirmed that the Russian government sponsored efforts to illegally interfere with the 2016 presidential election, but did not find that the Trump campaign or other Americans colluded in those schemes.”

Barr said the redacted report will be delivered to Congress between 11 a.m. ET and noon and will be posted afterward on the special counsel’s website.

WATCH: William Barr speaks on Muller Report

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Nadler tweeted that the American people deserve to hear from the special counsel himself.

“It is clear Congress and the American people must hear from Special Counsel Robert Mueller in person to better understand his findings,” Nadler wrote.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer also called Thursday for Mueller to publicly testify before Congress.

“Attorney General Barr’s regrettably partisan handling of the Mueller report, including his slanted March 24th summary letter, his irresponsible testimony before Congress last week, and his indefensible plan to spin the report in a press conference later this morning — hours before he allows the public or Congress to see it — have resulted in a crisis of confidence in his independence and impartiality,” Pelosi and Schumer said in a statement Thursday morning.

Barr told reporters in Washington Thursday morning that he would have “no objection” to Mueller testifying before Congress about the report.

LIVE COVERAGE: Redacted Mueller report expected to be released

Nadler has accused Barr of “waging a media campaign” and holding a news conference before the report is made public to protect President Trump.

“The attorney general appears to be waging a media campaign on behalf of President Trump — the very subject of investigation at the heart of the Mueller report — rather than letting the facts speak for themselves,” Nadler told reporters Wednesday.

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Immediately after Barr’s press conference ended, Trump took to Twitter saying: “No Collusion – No Obstruction!”

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