Judge Rules Democrats Will Get Russia Probe Grand Jury Info

In a big when for Democrats, Judge Beryl Howell ruled Friday that the House Judiciary Committee is entitled to access the grand jury materials that have been concealed in the Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report.

Though the majority of the report was made public, much of it was concealed under redactions for various reasons, including that the information was covered by laws governing grand jury secrecy. Lawmakers have had access to some of this redacted information, but the grand jury material has been under tight seal.

To obtain the information, the Judiciary Committee, led by Chair Jerry Nadler, took the Justice Department to court.

While grand jury information is generally supposed to remain secret unless it becomes public as part of a trial, Democrats argued that their impeachment investigations of Trump in Congress are analogous to a judicial proceeding and thus justify unsealing the materials.

The judge said the Justice Department “must disclose” the portions of the report that was concealed for reasons of grand jury secrecy, as well as any other “underlying transcripts or exhibits referenced” in those portions. One the committee has reviewed this material, the judge said it can submit additional requests for further information that it may desire.