McCarthy on Mueller Report: Democrats Search for 'Imaginary' Collusion

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) said Thursday that despite the Robert Mueller report confirming no collusion or obstruction of justice, Democrats will continue to search for “imaginary evidence” of collusion with the Russian government or obstruction of justice.

Attorney General William Barr released special counsel Robert Mueller’s report, which concluded that Donald Trump and his 2016 presidential campaign did not collude with the Russian government and that he did not obstruct justice.

McCarthy released a statement Thursday, saying that despite the release of Mueller’s report, Democrats will continue to look for ways to justify their claims that Trump colluded with Russia.

Rep. McCarthy said:

Nothing we saw today changes the underlying results of the 22-month-long Mueller investigation that ultimately found no collusion.

Notwithstanding the partisan echo chamber to do otherwise, I fully approve of how Attorney General Barr has balanced legal requirements with the public’s need to know in handling the release of the report. He complied with the law by protecting grand jury material, classified information, and the integrity of the investigative process. Democrats want to keep searching for imaginary evidence that supports their claims, but it is simply not there.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) also cheered the release of the special counsel report in a statement on Thursday, saying:

I’m grateful for the Attorney General’s diligent work to release as much of the Special Counsel’s report as possible to Congress and to the American people. The nation is fortunate to have an experienced leader like Bill Barr in place to ensure maximum possible transparency while carefully protecting classified material and legally restricted grand jury information. Like all of my colleagues, I look forward to carefully reviewing the report.

“It is time to move on. Americans deserve better than this partisan quest to vilify a political opponent, and I urge our Democratic colleagues in the House to put their emotions and opinions aside and, instead, use that passion to come to the table and work on real solutions for all Americans,” McCarthy added.