WASHINGTON – Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell declared Tuesday that special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference is over, despite House Democrats pursuing more information.

“Case closed,” McConnell, R-Ky., said on the Senate floor about Mueller’s key finding that nobody from President Donald Trump’s campaign conspired with Russians to influence the election.

McConnell compared Democratic complaints over the need to continue the 22-month investigation to the movie “Groundhog Day,” where the protagonist repeats the same day repetitively. He also called efforts for continued investigation “unhinged partisanship” that would keep the country divided.

“This investigation went on for two years,” McConnell said. “It’s finally over.”

But Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Republicans dragged their feet on efforts to enhance election security and instead sought to discourage investigations of Trump because of fears about where they would lead.

“What we have here is a concerted effort to circle the wagons, to protect the president from accountability, to whitewash his reprehensible conduct by simply declaring it irrelevant,” Schumer said.

The dueling speeches came on the same day staffers from the House Judiciary Committee are meeting with Justice Department officials about whether more information from Mueller’s 448-page report can be released publicly.

Attorney General William Barr redacted portions of the report that dealt with grand-jury evidence, information from ongoing cases, intelligence information and information that might infringe on the privacy of people not charged. He defended his handling of the report at the Senate Judiciary Committee last Wednesday.

But House Democrats including Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., have insisted that Congress receive the full report. Democrats contend the report described potential conspiracy between Trump’s campaign and Russia, even though Mueller filed no charges in that area. They also say the numerous episodes of potential obstruction of justice must be explored after Mueller reached no decision on obstruction charges.

Barr decided that the evidence Mueller collected didn’t merit obstruction charges. Trump has said the report completely exonerated him.

If lawmakers and department officials can’t reach a compromise, the Judiciary Committee scheduled a Wednesday vote on whether to hold Barr in contempt for failing to comply with a subpoena for the entire report.

More on Congress and special counsel Robert Mueller’s report:

House Judiciary Committee sets Wednesday contempt vote for Attorney General William Barr

‘Slow-motion constitutional car crash’: Trump, Congress battle over investigations with no end in sight

‘We’re out of it.’ Attorney General Barr defends release, conclusions of special counsel’s Russia report

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Special Counsel Robert Mueller, and his wife Ann, leave St. John's Episcopal Church, across from the White House, after attending morning services, in Washington on March 24, 2019.
Robert Mueller departs St. John's Episcopal Church, across from the White House, after attending services, in Washington on March 24, 2019.
Robert Mueller, and his wife Ann, walk past the White House, after attending St. John's Episcopal Church for morning services on March 24, 2019 in Washington.
Robert Mueller, and his wife Ann, walk to their car after attending services at St. John's Episcopal Church in Washington on March 24, 2019.
U.S. Attorney General William Barr, right, leaves his house on March 24, 2019 in McLean, Va. Barr continues to review special counsel Robert Mueller's report on alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.
An empty hallway at the U.S. Capitol on Saturday morning, March 23, 2019 in Washington, DC. Special Counsel Robert Mueller delivered the report from his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election to Barr yesterday and Barr is expected to brief members of Congress on the report potentially as soon as this weekend.
U.S. Attorney General William Barr departs his home March 23, 2019 in McLean, Va.
William Simms places newspaper front pages from around the nation in display cases at the Newseum, Saturday, March 23, 2019, in Washington.
The U.S. Capitol is seen before sunrise, Saturday, March 23, 2019, in Washington. Special counsel Robert Mueller closed his long and contentious Russia investigation with no new charges, ending the probe that has cast a dark shadow over Donald Trump's presidency.
A bicyclist passes by the Justice Department on Pennsylvania Ave. where the media is set up, March 23, 2019 in Washington, DC.
U.S. Attorney General William Barr rides in the first black vehicle while arriving at the Justice Department on March 23, 2019 in Washington, DC.
Members of the press wait outside one of the office buildings used by independent prosecutor and former FBI director Robert Mueller on March 22, 2019 in Washington, DC. President Donald Trump went on air Friday to double down on his attempt to discredit a massive probe into his campaign's links to Russia, which is expected to be released shortly. Ever since the investigation run by independent prosecutor and former FBI director Robert Mueller began nearly two years ago Trump has insisted that it is a "witch hunt" and a "hoax."
A lone demonstrator departs after protesting outside the US Department of Justice March 22, 2019 in Washington, DC, shortly after the announcement that Special Counsel Robert Mueller had wrapped up his two-year investigation of Russian meddling in the 2016 US election.
Bodyguards wait for the departure of the US attorney General outside the US Department of Justice March 22, 2019 in Washington, DC, shortly after the announcement that Special Counsel Robert Mueller had wrapped up his two-year investigation of Russian meddling in the 2016 US election.
A copy of a letter from Attorney General William Barr advising Congress that Special Counsel Robert Mueller has concluded his investigation, is shown Friday, March 22, 2019 in Washington. Robert Mueller turned over his long-awaited final report on the contentious Russia investigation that has cast a dark shadow over Donald Trump's presidency, entangled Trump's family and resulted in criminal charges against some of the president's closest associates.
Journalists work outside of the House Judiciary Committee in the Rayburn House Office Building after the announcement that Special Counsel Robert Mueller had submitted his report to Attorney General William Barr, March 22, 2019 in Washington, DC. U.S. Attorney General William Barr told the House and Senate Judiciary Committees in a letter that Special Counsel Robert Mueller had completed his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Attorney General William Barr leaves his home in McLean, Va., on Friday, March 22, 2019. Special Counsel Robert Mueller is expected to present a report to the Justice Department any day now outlining the findings of his nearly two-year investigation into Russian election meddling, possible collusion with Trump campaign officials and possible obstruction of justice by Trump .
President Donald J. Trump speaks to the media as he departs the White House for his Mar-a-Lago resort in Washington, DC, on March 22, 2019. The Trump administration, along with lawmakers, are awaiting the release of special counsel Robert Mueller's report into President Trump's behavior.
The White House early in the morning after a rainy night in Washington, DC, on March 22, 2019. The Trump administration, along with lawmakers, are awaiting the release of special counsel Robert Mueller's report into President Trump's behavior.
Special Counsel Robert Mueller arrives at his office on March 21, 2019 in Washington DC. It is expected that Mueller will soon complete his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and release his report.

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