Rand Paul blocks resolution calling for release of Mueller report

Randal (Rand) Howard Paul Overnight Health Care: 50 million coronavirus vaccines given | Pfizer news | Biden health nominees Rand Paul criticized for questioning of transgender health nominee Haley isolated after Trump fallout MORE (R-Ky.) blocked a resolution calling for special counsel Robert Mueller

Robert (Bob) Mueller Why a special counsel is guaranteed if Biden chooses Yates, Cuomo or Jones as AG Barr taps attorney investigating Russia probe origins as special counsel CNN's Toobin warns McCabe is in 'perilous condition' with emboldened Trump MORE's report on the Russia probe be made public, marking the fifth time Republicans have blocked the House-passed measure.

Sen. Mark Warner

Mark Robert Warner Sunday shows preview: 2024 hopefuls gather at CPAC; House passes coronavirus relief; vaccine effort continues Democrats demand Saudi accountability over Khashoggi killing US intel: Saudi crown prince approved Khashoggi killing MORE (D-Va.), the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, asked for unanimous consent on Thursday to pass the resolution, which cleared the House in a 420-0 vote earlier this year.

"What we're talking about is basic transparency, let's make sure the full Mueller report is released to Congress … and then let's make sure the American people see as much of this report as possible," Warner said from the Senate floor.

He added that to warn future campaigns and candidates about potential election interference "we need to fully understand what the Russians were trying to do."

Under Senate rules, any one senator can request that any bill or resolution be passed. But because it requires the signoff of every senator, any one senator can also block their request.

Paul objected because Warner wouldn't agree to amend the nonbinding House-passed resolution to include provisions calling for the public release of communications between several Obama-era officials including former President Obama, former FBI Director James Comey

James Brien Comey John Durham's endgame: Don't expect criminal charges Trump DOJ officials sought to block search of Giuliani records: report Tina Fey, Amy Poehler to host Golden Globes from separate coasts amid pandemic MORE and former CIA Director John Brennan

John Owen Brennan Online and frighteningly real: 'A Taste of Armageddon' The biggest example of media malfeasance in 2020 is... Meet Biden's pick to lead the US intelligence community MORE.

Paul argued that Congress still needs to figure out the "entire story" including the origins of the investigation into President Trump

Donald Trump Noem touts South Dakota coronavirus response, knocks lockdowns in CPAC speech On The Trail: Cuomo and Newsom — a story of two embattled governors McCarthy: 'I would bet my house' GOP takes back lower chamber in 2022 MORE's campaign and a controversial research dossier compiled against then-candidate Trump.

"I think it's very important that we not turn our country into this back and forth where each successive party tries to use the apparatus of government to investigate the previous president," Paul said.

"What we don't know is was President Obama told that the evidence to get this investigation started was paid for by the Hillary Clinton

Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton Media circles wagons for conspiracy theorist Neera Tanden The Hill's Morning Report - Presented by The AIDS Institute - Senate ref axes minimum wage, House votes today on relief bill Democratic strategists start women-run media consulting firm MORE campaign? We need to know that," Paul continued.

Paul has warned that he would block the resolution backing the Mueller report's release unless information about the opposition research dossier compiled against Trump was also released. He first blocked the House-passed resolution last week.

"It was so scandalous and so unverified and has turned out to be untrue, and yet this was the basis for the beginning of the investigation. This was the basis for doing something extraordinary," Paul added on Thursday of the dossier.

A 2018 memo from the House Intelligence Committee, which was controlled at the time by Republicans, found that the FBI's counterintelligence investigation into whether Trump campaign officials had improper contacts with Russia was triggered by information the bureau obtained about George Papadopoulos, a former adviser to the campaign.

Thursday's floor drama comes after The New York Times reported that some members of Mueller's team believe the four-page letter from Attorney General William Barr

Bill Barr Majority of Republicans say 2020 election was invalid: poll Biden administration withdraws from Connecticut transgender athlete case Justice Department renews investigation into George Floyd's death: report MORE that summarized the principal conclusions didn't sufficiently portray their findings, which they suggested could be more damaging to Trump than Barr conveyed.

It marks the fifth time Democrats have tried to pass the House resolution, which says there is “overwhelming public interest” in the government releasing the contents of the high-profile Mueller report. The resolution calls on the Justice Department to fully release the report to Congress and to release it to the public “except to the extent the public disclosure of any portion thereof is expressly prohibited by law.”

Mueller handed over his report to the Justice Department, marking the formal end to his two-year investigation. Barr is expected to testify on the report early next month.

In addition to Paul, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell