Over a two-thirds majority of American voters want the report of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation to be released to the public once it is completed, according to the results of a new public opinion poll released on Wednesday.
The new POLITICO and Morning Consult poll found that 68 percent of Americans support the public disclosure of Mueller’s findings, while only 10 percent do not.
The poll found that the Mueller report’s release currently has overwhelmingly broad support from members of both parties. Fully 79 percent of Democrats support the release of the report to the public while just 5 percent do not, and 59 percent of Republicans support the release while only 18 percent do not.
There is a split between the parties, however, on deciding whether or not the Trump administration should be allowed to redact part of the report before releasing it to the public. Just 11 percent of Democrats believe the administration has the right to block out portions of Mueller’s findings, while 52 percent of Republicans believe it has the right to do this. Overall, just 28 percent of polls respondents said that they believe Trump’s Justice Department should be allowed to redact parts of the report.
To get more stories like this, subscribe to our newsletter The Daily.
POLITICO and Morning Consult pollsters surveyed American voters between Feb. 22 and Feb. 24 and the poll’s margin of error is 2 percent.
Special Counsel Robert Mueller has been investigating whether Russia interfered in the 2016 election for nearly two years. The investigation includes looking at whether the Kremlin colluded with the Trump campaign in such a manner that it would constitute illegal conspiracy against the United States. Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed that there never was any collusion between his campaign and Russia, and that the Mueller probe is a “witch hunt.”
Trump’s former attorney Michael Cohen will testify to Congress on Wednesday and is expected to dispute the president’s denials that the campaign was in communication with Russia. If he does this, Cohen’s testimony will be consistent with other evidence of collusion which has been reported in the media.
Mueller’s investigation is overseen by the Department of Justice. It remains to be seen whether newly confirmed Attorney General William Barr will release Mueller’s findings. If he doesn’t, however, it will create a political firestorm that would hurt Trump and Republicans. As today’s poll shows, Barr’s failure to release the report to the public would be a huge mistake, and against the will of the American people.
I am a lifelong Democrat with a passion for social justice and progressive issues. I have degrees in writing, economics and law from the University of Iowa.
