Special Counsel Robert Mueller Hands In Report On Trump-Russia Investigation

After nearly two years on the job, Special Counsel Robert Mueller has completed his long-awaited Trump-Russia investigation and turned in his report to Attorney General William Barr. Mueller, a former FBI director who served under both Republican and Democratic presidents, was appointed to the probe in the spring of 2017 after Donald Trump fired FBI Director James Comey.

The FBI opened the investigation into whether anyone involved on Donald Trump's presidential campaign worked with Russians as part of their campaign to interfere with the 2016 election.

According to the Associated Press (AP), Attorney General Barr announced the conclusion of the investigation in a letter to a congressional committee leaders Friday. "Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller III has concluded his investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election and related matters,” Barr said.

"The Special Counsel has submitted to me today a ‘confidential report explaining the prosecution or declination decision’ he has reached," he continued. "I am reviewing that report and anticipate that I may be in a position to advise you of the Special Counsel’s principal conclusions as soon as this weekend."

Mueller is not recommending any further indictments and the findings are currently confidential, the AP reports, though many are speculating that the recommendation means that Mueller is not recommending any indictments against President Trump on charges of collusion or obstruction of justice. However, only if and when the contents of the report are made public will anyone know for sure.

Over the course of the nearly three-year investigation, Mueller brought criminal charges against 34 people and three companies, reports CNN. Five Trump associates, including Paul Manafort, Rick Gates, Michael Flynn, Michael Cohen, Roger Stone and George Papadopoulos, are among those charged.

Per the AP, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Charles 'Chuck' Schumer sent out a joint statement. “The White House must not be allowed to interfere in decisions about what parts of those findings or evidence are made public,” they said.

Several Democrats who have announced their plans to run against Trump for the presidency in the 2020 election took to social media, demanding Mueller's findings be released publicly.

According to the AP, "There is no smoking gun when it comes to the question of Russia collusion. But the evidence so far shows that a broad range of Trump associates had Russia-related contacts" during his campaign and "several lied about the communications."

Trump has repeatedly referred to Mueller's probe as a "witch hunt" and claimed there was "no collusion" with Russia.