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IN Focus: Indiana lawmakers react to Mueller report

Reactions to the 400-page Mueller report are unsurprisingly divided along political lines, with many Republicans backing the President while opponents called for further scrutiny and investigation.

Thursday afternoon, Rep. Andre Carson (D-IN) held a press conference responding to the Mueller report's findings.

“I’m still going through the 400-page report, as are other members of Congress, as are the press. It’s riddled with legal nuance and lawyerly talk. But I think it’s clear that Mueller very wisely has made the case to the best of his ability, and has laid on the table the authority and the power to rest with Congress in terms of an indictment,” Carson said.

Carson added that he wouldn’t yet be able to make a definitive declaration regarding the report, but said it clearly pointed to wrongdoing by President Trump and his team.

“I think we see very clear and calculated efforts by Trump's team, we’ve seen over the past two years. To effectively obstruct justice, to act in a way that is unethical. So, while he may not have been indicted, he clearly acted against the interest of the American people.”

Carson said Congress will continue to investigate the findings of the report.

“I think Congress has the responsibility to make the case, and we will certainly make the case,” he said.

On Wednesday, the day before the report was released, Sen. Todd Young (R-IN) told us he felt Mueller’s findings would exonerate the President.

"Mueller himself indicated in his report that there was no collusion, so no illegal conduct in the contact between the Trump Administration and the Russians. But he didn’t conclude, nor did the Attorney General say, that Russia failed to interfere in our election. I think clearly, they did interfere in our election. And, that’s why it’s really important for the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence to continue its investigation and to make sure that we protect ourselves and our allies from interference in our elections,” Young said.

Political experts say the reality of the report is that is supplies ammunition to both political parties as they look toward the 2020 presidential election.

“It goes through saying there’s insufficient evidence in terms of obstruction or collusion but there’s also proof that evidence was probably erased and damaged… I think both political sides can use this to their advantage and unfortunately that’s exactly what they’ll do,” said Laura Wilson, assistant professor of political science at the University of Indianapolis.

Wilson says the best way for the average person to get a real sense of the report, and what it means would be to either read the whole thing themselves, or more realistically read and listen to analysis from multiple impartial sources.

"This material is far too important, and unfortunately, political parties, politicians are going to try to manipulate it and make it look a certain way, but it’s too important to the American public to be sold as one thing or another," Wilson said.

Other members of Indiana's congressional delegation also shared their thoughts on Twitter. 

Nick McGill
FOX59