Press Freedom Group Petitions DC Court For Public Release Of All Grand Jury Materials In Mueller Report

Via press release:

This morning the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press filed a request in the federal district court for the District of Columbia for an order that would authorize the public release of grand jury material that is “cited, quoted, or referenced” in the report submitted to Attorney General William Barr by Special Counsel Robert Mueller. On March 27, the Reporters Committee filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act for access to and a copy of the full Mueller report.

The attorney general has stated that he will not—and maintains that he cannot—release the report in full, in part because it contains grand jury material subject to Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 6(e). A ruling from the district court granting the Reporters Committee’s application would allow the Department of Justice and Congress to release those portions of the Mueller report to the public.

“Given the historical significance and overwhelming public interest in the Mueller report, the Reporters Committee is urging the Court to exercise its authority to allow those portions of the report that consist of grand jury material to be released to the public,” said Reporters Committee Legal Director Katie Townsend.