'We have to be patient:' Local political expert reacts to the Mueller report release

MILWAUKEE -- Friday, March 22 was a big day in Washington and Wisconsin. The long-awaited Mueller report was released, and a 675-day old investigation is finally over.

Mordecai Lee

Special Counsel Robert Mueller has closed his investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election -- submitting a report to the Justice Department after 22 months of gathering crucial information. Former UW-Milwaukee Professor Mordecai Lee says the long-awaited submission will likely reveal new information.

"This is sort of it, in terms of putting the lid on putting the investigation of Russian involvement in our elections," said Lee. "I think it's really important that now we can have the knowledge that he looked into everything. It wasn't rushed, but it wasn't prolonged unnecessarily."

William Barr

Things are now in the hands of Attorney General William Barr, who will decide what to do with what he's received.

"What is the Attorney General going to be releasing this weekend to congress? What's it going to say? And then will the AG then release the full report -- or just the part of the report that has to do with the president?"

On Capitol Hill, both Democrats and Republicans are demanding the Mueller report be made public. In a tweet Friday evening, Wisconsin Republican Congressman Bryan Steil said, "We need full transparency. I continue to urge that Mueller's report is publicly released."

"We sort of have to be patient about the process," said Lee. "Maybe that's the most important difference about democracy and some awful forms of government."

It's possible lawmakers in Wisconsin will be updated on the Mueller report as soon as this weekend.