The Justice Department said on Thursday that following the release of the redacted special counsel’s report, Attorney General William Barr will also select lawmakers to review a less-redacted version of Robert Mueller’s report in a secure area.
The department noted he would make the decision as early as next week.
In a letter to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham, Assistant Attorney General Stephen Boyd said his boss had determined that their committees should be given access to details in Mueller’s report not provided in the more redacted version. This will include sensitive national security information and details that could affect active criminal investigations.
Boyd added that a secure reading will be provided at the Justice Department between the hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. next week for members of Congress to review the report “in camera.” Lawmakers will also be able to review the less-redacted report in the secure spaces on Capitol Hill the week after, when Congress’ two-week recess ends.
However, the assistant attorney general stressed that in the absence of a court order by a judge, grand jury material will be restricted from the less-redacted version of the report.
“Given the sensitive nature of the information, the additional information will be made available through in camera review contingent on an agreement by all individuals reviewing the less-redacted version of the Report that the material provided only to the above-identified members and staff will remain confidential,” Boyd wrote.
“Material redacted in the public version of the report is law enforcement sensitive and confidential; it should not be shared in any form without prior approval of the Department of Justice,” he added.
The less-redacted version will, however, allow lawmakers to view “all information” redacted to conceal details of ongoing investigations, sensitive national security information, and details on “peripheral third parties” that were not charged in the course of the probe.
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