Democrats take step toward holding attorney general in contempt over Russia report
Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives on Monday took a step toward citing Attorney General William Barr for contempt of Congress for failing to hand over Special Counsel Robert Mueller's full unredacted report on his Russia investigation.
The Democrat-run House Judiciary Committee issued a report citing Barr, an appointee of President Donald Trump, for contempt after a subpoena deadline for Barr to produce the full report and underlying evidence had expired at 9 a.m. EDT (1300 GMT).
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The committee was due to meet on Wednesday at 10 a.m. EDT (1400 GMT) to consider adopting the report. If it does, then the full House would vote on holding Barr in contempt of Congress, according to a congressional aide.
Attorney General William Barr returns to a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in Washington, DC, May 1, 2019. /Reuters Photo
The report calls on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to take "all appropriate action" to enforce a subpoena issued by committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, a Democrat, for the full Mueller report on April 19.
Some Democrats have called on Barr to resign, accusing him of protecting Trump by effectively clearing the president of criminal obstruction of justice and excusing actions viewed by them as evidence of misconduct. Pelosi has charged that the attorney general lied to Congress, adding: "That's a crime."
Copy of a letter sent by Special Council Robert Mueller on March 27, 2019, to U.S. Attorney General William Barr regarding the Report of the Special Council on the Investigation Into Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election and Obstruction of Justice, May 1, 2019. /Reuters Photo
Nadler's committee views the full Mueller report as vital to its own corruption and obstruction of justice investigation of Trump. The chairs of five other House committees investigating the president have also called for its release.
The Mueller report details extensive contacts between Trump's 2016 campaign but did not find that there was a conspiracy between Moscow and the campaign. The report also describes actions Trump took to try to impede Mueller's investigation.
Chairman Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., holds up a copy of the Mueller Report during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the "Department of Justices Investigation of Russian Interference with the 2016 Presidential Election", May 1, 2019. /VCG Photo
Barr released a redacted version of the report on April 18. If lawmakers established that Trump obstructed justice by seeking to impede Mueller, Nadler's panel could move to impeachment proceedings against the president for high crimes and misdemeanors.
Trump denied any wrongdoing in a tweet on Monday. "Also, there are 'No High Crimes & Misdemeanors,' No Collusion, No Conspiracy, No Obstruction. ALL THE CRIMES ARE ON THE OTHER SIDE, and that's what the Dems should be looking at, but they won't. Nevertheless, the tables are turning!" the president wrote on Twitter.
A contempt citation could lead to a civil court case against Barr, raising the possibility of fines and even imprisonment for failure to comply.
(Cover: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi speaks during her weekly news conference on Capitol Hill, Washington, DC, May 2, 2019. /VCG Photo)