Source: Mueller Report’s Mid-April Release Designed To Avoid The Masters

William Barr informed lawmakers last week of plans to release a redacted Special Counsel report on Russian interference by mid-April.

Left out of the Attorney General’s letter, according to senior-level Justice Department sources: Barr is waiting for the Masters to conclude before sharing the redacted Mueller report with the public.

“The AG knows the President doesn’t want his executive time interrupted,” said one official who spoke on the condition of anonymity. “The President is planning to watch a lot of the Masters. So no report until April 15 at the earliest.”

The Attorney General wrote last week to Congress explaining why he could not meet an April 2 deadline set by the judiciary committee.

“Everyone will soon be able to read it,” Mr. Barr wrote. Yet he did not elaborate on what sources say was the primary reason for delay: the 2019 Masters.

An Augusta National spokesman declined comment when asked if the club influenced the decision. However, several longtime members are reportedly still bothered by the distraction caused when U.S. troops took Baghdad in 2003 and felled Saddam Hussein’s statue as Chairman Hootie Johnson was giving his annual State Of The Masters press conference.

“That was just not well orchestrated by the generals,” said an Augusta National source. “The last thing America needs to be doing tournament week is reading the Mueller Report when we could be watching The Masters.”