Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Senate Finance Committee chairman, declared the Russian collusion narrative dead on Friday, after Special Counsel Robert Mueller turned over his report to Attorney General William Barr, with no further indictments planned.
“Attempts to keep the collusion narrative alive, especially for political reasons, will only serve to further harm our political discourse and play into the hands of our foreign adversaries,” the former chairman of the Judiciary Committee said in a statement.
He also noted that Mueller has been investigating any ties between Trump associates and the Kremlin for “nearly two years now,” and the Justice Department even before the 2016 election.
He also slammed the “millions” in taxpayer dollars and “aggressive surveillance tools” used, with still no evidence of collusion.
“We know that the Russians tried to meddle in our democratic processes to sow divisions, as they have in so many other countries. But throughout this prolonged investigation, which cost tens of millions in taxpayer dollars and included aggressive surveillance tools, we still haven’t seen any evidence of collusion,” he said.
Grassley joined fellow members of Congress in asking for Mueller’s findings to be released, to “finally put an end” to the “speculation and innuendo” that has plagued the administration since its inauguration.
“Republicans and Democrats have roundly praised Mueller’s reputation for integrity and thoroughness. Now that he’s wrapped up his investigation, Attorney General Barr must provide Congress and the American people with the findings to finally put an end to the speculation and innuendo that has loomed over this administration since its earliest days,” Grassley said.