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Did Congress read the Mueller report? More than a quarter of these key lawmakers won’t say.

May 31, 2019

Rep. Justin Amash broke ranks with fellow Republicans when he said special counsel Robert S. Mueller III's report shows that President Trump took actions that "meet the threshold for impeachment," arguing that the stark partisan divide over the findings was because "few members of Congress have read the report."

While it's common for politicians to draw very different conclusions from the same set of facts, the Michigan congressman's suggestion in several tweetstorms this past week is bolder — that most lawmakers simply ignored Mueller's report.

So how many lawmakers actually read the entire 448-page, redacted report released on April 18?

A Washington Post canvass of House and Senate members on the relevant committees — the Judiciary and Intelligence committees in both chambers — found most saying they have read the publicly released report in its entirety, but over 3 in 10 declined to respond to five yes-or-no questions after repeated contact attempts, offered unclear answers or said they have not read the full report.

Three out of the four Republican chairmen or ranking GOP members on the Judiciary and Intelligence committees did not respond when asked how they reviewed the report, while one senior Democratic senator said he has read the executive summaries but not the full report with redactions.

[Read the full Mueller report, annotated by Post journalists]

On Tuesday, The Post emailed questions to all 92 members of the committees, which have been among the most active in holding hearings and conducting their own investigations into Russia interference in the 2016 election and possible links to the Trump campaign.

Here's what they said:

Who read the redacted Mueller report in its entirety?

Republican
Democrat
Independent
Karen Bass (Calif.)
Kamala D.  Harris (Calif.)
Jim Himes (Conn.)
Lucy McBath (Ga.)
Cedric L. Richmond (La.)
Roy  Blunt (Mo.)
Richard  Burr (N.C.)
K. Michael Conaway (Tex.)
Tom  Cotton (Ark.)
Lindsey O.  Graham (S.C.)
Josh  Hawley (Mo.)
John Neely  Kennedy (La.)
Mike  Lee (Utah)
Debbie Lesko (Ariz.)
Devin Nunes (Calif.)
James E.  Risch (Idaho)
Marco  Rubio (Fla.)
Ben  Sasse (Neb.)
F. James Jr. Sensenbrenner (Wis.)
Elise Stefanik (N.Y.)
Chris Stewart (Utah)
Thom  Tillis (N.C.)
Brad Wenstrup (Ohio)
André Carson (Ind.)
John  Cornyn (Tex.)
Joni  Ernst (Iowa)
Charles E.  Grassley (Iowa)
Christopher A.  Coons (Del.)
Denny Heck (Wash.)
Raja Krishnamoorthi (Ill.)
Michael F.  Bennet (Colo.)
Richard  Blumenthal (Conn.)
Cory  Booker (N.J.)
Joaquin Castro (Tex.)
David N. Cicilline (R.I.)
Steve Cohen (Tenn.)
J. Luis Correa (Calif.)
Madeleine Dean (Pa.)
Val Demings (Fla.)
Theodore E. Deutch (Fla.)
Richard J.  Durbin (Ill.)
Veronica Escobar (Tex.)
Dianne  Feinstein (Calif.)
Sylvia Garcia (Tex.)
Martin  Heinrich (N.M.)
Mazie  Hirono (Hawaii)
Sheila Jackson Lee (Tex.)
Pramila Jayapal (Wash.)
Hakeem Jeffries (N.Y.)
Hank Johnson (Ga.)
Amy  Klobuchar (Minn.)
Patrick J.  Leahy (Vt.)
Ted Lieu (Calif.)
Zoe Lofgren (Calif.)
Sean Maloney (N.Y.)
Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (Fla.)
Jerrold Nadler (N.Y.)
Joe Neguse (Colo.)
Mike Quigley (Ill.)
Jamie B. Raskin (Md.)
Mary Gay Scanlon (Pa.)
Adam B. Schiff (Calif.)
Terri A. Sewell (Ala.)
Jackie Speier (Calif.)
Greg Stanton (Ariz.)
Eric Swalwell (Calif.)
Mark R.  Warner (Va.)
Peter Welch (Vt.)
Sheldon  Whitehouse (R.I.)
Ron  Wyden (Ore.)
Angus  King (Maine)
Kelly Armstrong (N.D.)
Andy Biggs (Ariz.)
Ken Buck (Colo.)
Steve Chabot (Ohio)
Ben Cline (Va.)
Douglas A. Collins (Ga.)
Susan  Collins (Maine)
Mike  Crapo (Idaho)
Ted  Cruz (Tex.)
Matt Gaetz (Fla.)
Louie Gohmert (Tex.)
Will Hurd (Tex.)
Mike Johnson (La.)
Jim Jordan (Ohio)
Tom McClintock (Calif.)
John Ratcliffe (Tex.)
Guy Reschenthaler (Pa.)
Martha Roby (Ala.)
Greg Steube (Fla.)
Michael R. Turner (Ohio)

Did not answer our questions24

Unclear4

Did not read the full report3

Read the full report61

Those lawmakers who did not answer our questions.

Those who did not give a clear yes or no answer.

Those who say they did not read the report cover-to-cover.

Those who said they read the entire report.

Rep. KarenBass(D-Calif.)
Sen. Kamala D. Harris(D-Calif.)
Rep. JimHimes(D-Conn.)
Rep. LucyMcBath(D-Ga.)
Rep. Cedric L.Richmond(D-La.)
 
Sen. Roy Blunt(R-Mo.)
Sen. Richard Burr(R-N.C.)
Rep. K. MichaelConaway(R-Tex.)
Sen. Tom Cotton(R-Ark.)
Rep. Eric A. "Rick"Crawford(R-Ark.)
Sen. Lindsey O. Graham(R-S.C.)
Sen. Josh Hawley(R-Mo.)
Sen. John Neely Kennedy(R-La.)
Sen. Mike Lee(R-Utah)
Rep. DebbieLesko(R-Ariz.)
Rep. DevinNunes(R-Calif.)
Sen. James E. Risch(R-Idaho)
Sen. Marco Rubio(R-Fla.)
Sen. Ben Sasse(R-Neb.)
Rep. F. James Jr.Sensenbrenner(R-Wis.)
Rep. EliseStefanik(R-N.Y.)
Rep. ChrisStewart(R-Utah)
Sen. Thom Tillis(R-N.C.)
Rep. BradWenstrup(R-Ohio)
 
Rep. AndréCarson(D-Ind.)

Office said, "I am unable to speak about the internal proceedings and activities in the House Permanent Select Intelligence Committee."

 
Sen. John Cornyn(R-Tex.)

Office said, "We don't participate in surveys. Senator Cornyn and members of his staff have reviewed the Special Counsel's report."

Sen. Joni Ernst(R-Iowa)

Office said, "Senator Ernst has read the Mueller report."

Sen. Charles E. Grassley(R-Iowa)

Office said, "Chairman Grassley's oversight and investigative staff – one of the largest in Congress – read the report in its entirety and provided a comprehensive briefing on its contents."

 
Sen. Christopher A. Coons(D-Del.)

Office said, "Sen Coons personally read the key portions of the redacted Mueller report and was briefed extensively by staff and legal experts on the full report."

Rep. DennyHeck(D-Wash.)

Office said congressman is, "Still finishing up."

Rep. RajaKrishnamoorthi(D-Ill.)

Office said Rep. Krishnamoorthi has read most of the redacted Mueller report but not in its entirety.

 
Sen. Michael F. Bennet(D-Colo.)
Sen. Richard Blumenthal(D-Conn.)
Sen. Cory Booker(D-N.J.)
Rep. JoaquinCastro(D-Tex.)
Rep. David N.Cicilline(D-R.I.)
Rep. SteveCohen(D-Tenn.)
Rep. J. LuisCorrea(D-Calif.)
Rep. MadeleineDean(D-Pa.)
Rep. ValDemings(D-Fla.)
Rep. Theodore E.Deutch(D-Fla.)
Sen. Richard J. Durbin(D-Ill.)
Rep. VeronicaEscobar(D-Tex.)
Sen. Dianne Feinstein(D-Calif.)
Rep. SylviaGarcia(D-Tex.)
Sen. Martin Heinrich(D-N.M.)
Sen. Mazie Hirono(D-Hawaii)
Rep. SheilaJackson Lee(D-Tex.)
Rep. PramilaJayapal(D-Wash.)
Rep. HakeemJeffries(D-N.Y.)
Rep. HankJohnson(D-Ga.)
Sen. Amy Klobuchar(D-Minn.)
Sen. Patrick J. Leahy(D-Vt.)
Rep. TedLieu(D-Calif.)
Rep. ZoeLofgren(D-Calif.)
Rep. SeanMaloney(D-N.Y.)
Rep. DebbieMucarsel-Powell(D-Fla.)
Rep. JerroldNadler(D-N.Y.)
Rep. JoeNeguse(D-Colo.)
Rep. MikeQuigley(D-Ill.)
Rep. Jamie B.Raskin(D-Md.)
Rep. Mary GayScanlon(D-Pa.)
Rep. Adam B.Schiff(D-Calif.)
Rep. Terri A.Sewell(D-Ala.)
Rep. JackieSpeier(D-Calif.)
Rep. GregStanton(D-Ariz.)
Rep. EricSwalwell(D-Calif.)
Sen. Mark R. Warner(D-Va.)
Rep. PeterWelch(D-Vt.)
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse(D-R.I.)
Sen. Ron Wyden(D-Ore.)
 
Sen. Angus King(I-Maine)
 
Rep. KellyArmstrong(R-N.D.)
Rep. AndyBiggs(R-Ariz.)
Rep. KenBuck(R-Colo.)
Rep. SteveChabot(R-Ohio)
Rep. BenCline(R-Va.)
Rep. Douglas A.Collins(R-Ga.)
Sen. Susan Collins(R-Maine)
Sen. Mike Crapo(R-Idaho)
Sen. Ted Cruz(R-Tex.)
Rep. MattGaetz(R-Fla.)
Rep. LouieGohmert(R-Tex.)
Rep. WillHurd(R-Tex.)
Rep. MikeJohnson(R-La.)
Rep. JimJordan(R-Ohio)
Rep. TomMcClintock(R-Calif.)
Rep. JohnRatcliffe(R-Tex.)
Rep. GuyReschenthaler(R-Pa.)
Rep. MarthaRoby(R-Ala.)
Rep. GregSteube(R-Fla.)
Rep. Michael R.Turner(R-Ohio)
 

Did not answer our questions24

Karen Bass (Calif.)
Kamala D.  Harris (Calif.)
Jim Himes (Conn.)
Lucy McBath (Ga.)
Cedric L. Richmond (La.)
Roy  Blunt (Mo.)
Richard  Burr (N.C.)
K. Michael Conaway (Tex.)
Tom  Cotton (Ark.)
Lindsey O.  Graham (S.C.)
Josh  Hawley (Mo.)
John Neely  Kennedy (La.)
Mike  Lee (Utah)
Debbie Lesko (Ariz.)
Devin Nunes (Calif.)
James E.  Risch (Idaho)
Marco  Rubio (Fla.)
Ben  Sasse (Neb.)
F. James Jr. Sensenbrenner (Wis.)
Elise Stefanik (N.Y.)
Chris Stewart (Utah)
Thom  Tillis (N.C.)
Brad Wenstrup (Ohio)

Unclear4

André Carson (Ind.)
John  Cornyn (Tex.)
Joni  Ernst (Iowa)
Charles E.  Grassley (Iowa)

Did not read the full report3

Christopher A.  Coons (Del.)
Denny Heck (Wash.)
Raja Krishnamoorthi (Ill.)

Read the full report61

Michael F.  Bennet (Colo.)
Richard  Blumenthal (Conn.)
Cory  Booker (N.J.)
Joaquin Castro (Tex.)
David N. Cicilline (R.I.)
Steve Cohen (Tenn.)
J. Luis Correa (Calif.)
Madeleine Dean (Pa.)
Val Demings (Fla.)
Theodore E. Deutch (Fla.)
Richard J.  Durbin (Ill.)
Veronica Escobar (Tex.)
Dianne  Feinstein (Calif.)
Sylvia Garcia (Tex.)
Martin  Heinrich (N.M.)
Mazie  Hirono (Hawaii)
Sheila Jackson Lee (Tex.)
Pramila Jayapal (Wash.)
Hakeem Jeffries (N.Y.)
Hank Johnson (Ga.)
Amy  Klobuchar (Minn.)
Patrick J.  Leahy (Vt.)
Ted Lieu (Calif.)
Zoe Lofgren (Calif.)
Sean Maloney (N.Y.)
Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (Fla.)
Jerrold Nadler (N.Y.)
Joe Neguse (Colo.)
Mike Quigley (Ill.)
Jamie B. Raskin (Md.)
Mary Gay Scanlon (Pa.)
Adam B. Schiff (Calif.)
Terri A. Sewell (Ala.)
Jackie Speier (Calif.)
Greg Stanton (Ariz.)
Eric Swalwell (Calif.)
Mark R.  Warner (Va.)
Peter Welch (Vt.)
Sheldon  Whitehouse (R.I.)
Ron  Wyden (Ore.)
Angus  King (Maine)
Kelly Armstrong (N.D.)
Andy Biggs (Ariz.)
Ken Buck (Colo.)
Steve Chabot (Ohio)
Ben Cline (Va.)
Douglas A. Collins (Ga.)
Susan  Collins (Maine)
Mike  Crapo (Idaho)
Ted  Cruz (Tex.)
Matt Gaetz (Fla.)
Louie Gohmert (Tex.)
Will Hurd (Tex.)
Mike Johnson (La.)
Jim Jordan (Ohio)
Tom McClintock (Calif.)
John Ratcliffe (Tex.)
Guy Reschenthaler (Pa.)
Martha Roby (Ala.)
Greg Steube (Fla.)
Michael R. Turner (Ohio)
Scroll to see a full list of names

Did not answer our questions24

Those lawmakers who did not answer our questions.

Rep. KarenBass(D-Calif.)
Sen. Kamala D. Harris(D-Calif.)
Rep. JimHimes(D-Conn.)
Rep. LucyMcBath(D-Ga.)
Rep. Cedric L.Richmond(D-La.)
 
Sen. Roy Blunt(R-Mo.)
Sen. Richard Burr(R-N.C.)
Rep. K. MichaelConaway(R-Tex.)
Sen. Tom Cotton(R-Ark.)
Rep. Eric A. "Rick"Crawford(R-Ark.)
Sen. Lindsey O. Graham(R-S.C.)
Sen. Josh Hawley(R-Mo.)
Sen. John Neely Kennedy(R-La.)
Sen. Mike Lee(R-Utah)
Rep. DebbieLesko(R-Ariz.)
Rep. DevinNunes(R-Calif.)
Sen. James E. Risch(R-Idaho)
Sen. Marco Rubio(R-Fla.)
Sen. Ben Sasse(R-Neb.)
Rep. F. James Jr.Sensenbrenner(R-Wis.)
Rep. EliseStefanik(R-N.Y.)
Rep. ChrisStewart(R-Utah)
Sen. Thom Tillis(R-N.C.)
Rep. BradWenstrup(R-Ohio)
 
 

Unclear4

Those who did not give a clear yes or no answer.

Rep. AndréCarson(D-Ind.)

Office said, "I am unable to speak about the internal proceedings and activities in the House Permanent Select Intelligence Committee."

 
Sen. John Cornyn(R-Tex.)

Office said, "We don't participate in surveys. Senator Cornyn and members of his staff have reviewed the Special Counsel's report."

Sen. Joni Ernst(R-Iowa)

Office said, "Senator Ernst has read the Mueller report."

Sen. Charles E. Grassley(R-Iowa)

Office said, "Chairman Grassley's oversight and investigative staff – one of the largest in Congress – read the report in its entirety and provided a comprehensive briefing on its contents."

 

Did not read the full report3

Those who say they did not read the report cover-to-cover.

Sen. Christopher A. Coons(D-Del.)

Office said, "Sen Coons personally read the key portions of the redacted Mueller report and was briefed extensively by staff and legal experts on the full report."

Rep. DennyHeck(D-Wash.)

Office said congressman is, "Still finishing up."

Rep. RajaKrishnamoorthi(D-Ill.)

Office said Rep. Krishnamoorthi has read most of the redacted Mueller report but not in its entirety.

 

Read the full report61

Those who said they read the entire report.

Sen. Michael F. Bennet(D-Colo.)
Sen. Richard Blumenthal(D-Conn.)
Sen. Cory Booker(D-N.J.)
Rep. JoaquinCastro(D-Tex.)
Rep. David N.Cicilline(D-R.I.)
Rep. SteveCohen(D-Tenn.)
Rep. J. LuisCorrea(D-Calif.)
Rep. MadeleineDean(D-Pa.)
Rep. ValDemings(D-Fla.)
Rep. Theodore E.Deutch(D-Fla.)
Sen. Richard J. Durbin(D-Ill.)
Rep. VeronicaEscobar(D-Tex.)
Sen. Dianne Feinstein(D-Calif.)
Rep. SylviaGarcia(D-Tex.)
Sen. Martin Heinrich(D-N.M.)
Sen. Mazie Hirono(D-Hawaii)
Rep. SheilaJackson Lee(D-Tex.)
Rep. PramilaJayapal(D-Wash.)
Rep. HakeemJeffries(D-N.Y.)
Rep. HankJohnson(D-Ga.)
Sen. Amy Klobuchar(D-Minn.)
Sen. Patrick J. Leahy(D-Vt.)
Rep. TedLieu(D-Calif.)
Rep. ZoeLofgren(D-Calif.)
Rep. SeanMaloney(D-N.Y.)
Rep. DebbieMucarsel-Powell(D-Fla.)
Rep. JerroldNadler(D-N.Y.)
Rep. JoeNeguse(D-Colo.)
Rep. MikeQuigley(D-Ill.)
Rep. Jamie B.Raskin(D-Md.)
Rep. Mary GayScanlon(D-Pa.)
Rep. Adam B.Schiff(D-Calif.)
Rep. Terri A.Sewell(D-Ala.)
Rep. JackieSpeier(D-Calif.)
Rep. GregStanton(D-Ariz.)
Rep. EricSwalwell(D-Calif.)
Sen. Mark R. Warner(D-Va.)
Rep. PeterWelch(D-Vt.)
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse(D-R.I.)
Sen. Ron Wyden(D-Ore.)
Sen. Angus King(I-Maine)
Rep. KellyArmstrong(R-N.D.)
Rep. AndyBiggs(R-Ariz.)
Rep. KenBuck(R-Colo.)
Rep. SteveChabot(R-Ohio)
Rep. BenCline(R-Va.)
Rep. Douglas A.Collins(R-Ga.)
Sen. Susan Collins(R-Maine)
Sen. Mike Crapo(R-Idaho)
Sen. Ted Cruz(R-Tex.)
Rep. MattGaetz(R-Fla.)
Rep. LouieGohmert(R-Tex.)
Rep. WillHurd(R-Tex.)
Rep. MikeJohnson(R-La.)
Rep. JimJordan(R-Ohio)
Rep. TomMcClintock(R-Calif.)
Rep. JohnRatcliffe(R-Tex.)
Rep. GuyReschenthaler(R-Pa.)
Rep. MarthaRoby(R-Ala.)
Rep. GregSteube(R-Fla.)
Rep. Michael R.Turner(R-Ohio)
 

Of the 92 congressional and Senate offices we contacted, 67 responded to the query and 60 — 65 percent of all contacted — said their member read Mueller's report in its entirety. Taking offices at their word — it is possible some overstated how much of the report lawmakers read — this suggests Amash may be underestimating his fellow lawmakers.

But a sizable minority of 25 lawmakers on the Judiciary and Intelligence committees (27 percent of the total) did not respond to questions, despite multiple attempts by The Post to contact each office by email and phone.

It is difficult to know the reasons offices did not respond — some refuse to respond to survey-like requests, while others may have just been too busy. The Post will update this report if non-responding offices send answers after publication.

There were large gaps in response to The Post's canvass by party. A slight majority of Republican members of the Judiciary or Intelligence committees responded to The Post's questions (55 percent), compared with 88 percent of Democrats. One of the first responses came from the office of Sen. Angus King (I-Maine), whose staff also provided images of the senator's marked-up copy of the report. Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Pa.) participated in a "marathon reading" of the report last week, according to her office, and sent along four pages of the congresswoman's marked-up copy of the report.

Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Pa.) took notes on her copy of the Mueller report. Scanlon and her office organized a marathon reading of the Mueller report in May. (Courtesy of Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon)

Beyond simply responding to the questions, 80 percent of Democrats said they read the entire report, compared with 48 percent of Republicans.

The partisan gap extended to senior members of the House and Senate Judiciary and Intelligence committees. All four Democratic chairs and ranking Democratic members — Rep. Jerrold Nadler (N.Y.), Rep. Adam B. Schiff (Calif.), Sen. Dianne Feinstein (Calif.) and Sen. Mark R. Warner (Va.) said they read the Mueller report in its entirety. That compares with three of the four senior Republicans who did not respond to questions about their office's review of the report: Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (S.C.), Sen. Richard Burr (N.C.) and Rep. Devin Nunes (Calif.). Rep. Douglas A. Collins did read the entire report, according to a spokeswoman.

Among the 65 offices that provided answers, only three lawmakers said they did not read the full report.

Sen. Christopher A. Coons (D-Del.) of the Judiciary Committee did not read the entire report himself, according to spokesman Sean Colt, who said Coons "personally read the key portions of the redacted Mueller report and was briefed extensively by staff and legal experts on the full report."

Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) read the executive summaries of Volumes I and II and most of the redacted Mueller report but not the entire document, according to a spokesman. Rep. Denny Heck (D-Wash.) is "still finishing up" reading the report, according to his office, though a spokesman said he has read the executive summaries. Senior staff members for both lawmakers read the full report and briefed staffs.

Four other members of the Judiciary and Intelligence committees provided unclear responses when asked whether they had read the report in its entirety. The office of Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) responded that the senator "has read the Mueller report" but did not directly answer any of The Post's questions, which asked specifically whether she read the entire 448-page document.

Michael Zona, a spokesman for Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa), did not answer when asked whether the senator had read the report but said, "Chairman Grassley's oversight and investigative staff — one of the largest in Congress — read the report in its entirety and provided a comprehensive briefing on its contents."

The office of Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.) said, "Senator Cornyn and members of his staff have reviewed the Special Counsel's report," though it did not provide specific details on whether the senator read it in its entirety.

Rep. André Carson (D-Ind.) said he was briefed by senior staffers who read the report, but spokesman Copeland Tucker said they are "unable to speak about the internal proceedings and activities in the House Permanent Select Intelligence Committee."