Rand Paul blocks resolution calling for Mueller report release

Randal (Rand) Howard Paul GOP Rep. Cawthorn says he wants to 'prosecute' Fauci Writer: Fauci, Paul clash shouldn't distract from probe into COVID-19 origins S.E. Cupp: 'The politicization of science and health safety has inarguably cost lives' MORE (R-Ky.) blocked a resolution calling for special counsel Robert Mueller

Robert (Bob) Mueller Senate Democrats urge Garland not to fight court order to release Trump obstruction memo 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 MORE's report to be made public, arguing that Congress should also call for the release of communications and testimony from Obama-era officials.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar

Amy Klobuchar Biden signals tough stance on tech with antitrust picks Hillicon Valley: Democrats introduce bill to hold platforms accountable for misinformation during health crises | Website outages hit Olympics, Amazon and major banks Competition laws could be a death knell for startup mergers and acquisitions MORE (D-Minn.), who is one of several Democratic senators running for president, tried to get unanimous consent for the Senate to pass the resolution, which cleared the House in a 420-0 vote earlier this month.

"We still have not seen the report. I have urged the Department of Justice to release the report, and the administration should not delay in producing the report to Congress," Klobuchar said.

But Paul objected because Klobuchar wouldn't agree to amend the nonbinding 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 Biden sister has book deal, set to publish in April Mystery surrounds Justice's pledge on journalist records NYT publisher: DOJ phone records seizure a 'dangerous incursion' on press freedom MORE and former CIA Director John Brennan

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"We need to know was there malfeasance, was there misuse of power, did President Obama's administration get involved in an election to infiltrate the Trump campaign to trap them? … We need to know that," he said. "What we need to discover and we do not yet know: Was President Obama involved?"

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

Thursday's floor drama marks the fourth time Democrats have tried to pass the House resolution, which argues 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 last week, marking the formal end to his two-year investigation. Attorney General William Barr

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Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell

Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnell Grassley pressured to run as Democrats set sights on Iowa House Democrats grow frustrated as they feel ignored by Senate Democrats question GOP shift on vaccines MORE (R-Ky.) blocked the resolution for his second time on Wednesday.

Sen. Lindsey Graham

Lindsey Olin Graham DACA court ruling puts weight of immigration reform on Democrats Senate braces for a nasty debt ceiling fight Bipartisan group says it's still on track after setback on Senate floor MORE (R-S.C.) also blocked it earlier this month because Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer

Chuck Schumer Could Andrew Cuomo — despite scandals — be re-elected because of Trump? Democratic negotiator: 'I believe we will' have infrastructure bill ready on Monday DACA court ruling puts weight of immigration reform on Democrats MORE (D-N.Y.) refused to amend it to include a provision calling on the Justice Department to appoint a special counsel to investigate alleged department misconduct in the handling of the investigation into 2016 Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton

Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton Biden flexes presidential muscle on campaign trail with Virginia's McAuliffe Shontel Brown gaining ground against Nina Turner in Ohio: poll Biden hits trail for McAuliffe in test of his political brand MORE's email use and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act applications related to Trump campaign adviser Carter Page.

Paul had previously warned that he would block the resolution unless information about the opposition research dossier compiled against then-candidate Trump was also released.

"I don't care whether it's a Democrat president or a Republican president, we should not waste the time of the entire country sending spies into campaigns, making false accusations and tying the country in knots for two years," Paul said from the Senate floor on Thursday.

"We will agree to see the Mueller report as long as the other side will agree to show us the communications that took place in deciding to promote this fake allegation against the president and whether there was misuse of their office," he continued. "We based this investigation on a lie, we should investigate who the liars were."

In addition to asking for information to be publicly released, Paul's amendment would also call for Obama-era CIA Director John Brennan and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper