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A4 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 9 May 2019

all efforts to probe Trump's unusual, and potentially needs a judge's approval
business dealings or tax protracted, multi-pronged for release, and it doesn't
returns as well as the West court battle with the Trump include the report's under-
Wing's security clearance administration. lying evidence. Democrats
procedure. The contempt finding could have said they won't view
The committee voted be referred to the U.S. at- that version until they get
along party lines, 24-16, to torney for the District of Co- broader access.
recommend the full House lumbia, a Justice Depart- Almost half the report's
hold Barr in contempt, but ment official who would be pages contain some type
only after some five hours likely to defend rather than of redaction including
of heated and, at times, oppose Barr. Democratic those around the Russian
emotional testimony. House leaders could also influence campaign, presi-
Democrats made their file a lawsuit, though the dential pardons and other
case that Congress was at case could take months topics.
a historic juncture as it con- or even years to resolve. Barr has refused to testify in
fronts what they consider Some committee members public to the committee af-
House Judiciary Committee Chair Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., left, Trump's stonewalling of have suggested they also ter a disagreement over the
and Rep. Doug Collins, R-Ga., the ranking member, talk as lawmakers' ability to con- could fine Barr as he with- Democrats' demand that
Nadler moves ahead with a vote to hold Attorney General Wil- duct oversight of the ad- holds information. he answer questions from a
liam Barr in contempt of Congress after last-minute negotiations ministration. Republicans Nadler said Wednesday staff attorney in addition to
stalled with the Justice Department over access to the full, un-
redacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller's report, on portrayed the majority as the Trump administration's lawmakers. The committee
Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, May 8, 2019. angry and lashing out at refusal to provide the spe- is in talks for Mueller him-
Associated Press Barr after the special coun- cial counsel's full Russia re- self to appear May 15, but
sel did not find that Trump port to Congress presents a there is no agreement yet,
BARR IN CONTEMPT said he has "no choice" colluded with Russia to "constitutional crisis." and Trump has said Mueller
Continued from Front but to compel the depart- swing the 2016 election. In a letter Wednesday to should not testify.
The White House's block- ment's compliance. He Said Democrat Sheila Jack- Trump , Barr explained that Nadler also has threatened
ade, he said, "is an attack warned that if it continues son Lee of Texas: "The presi- the special counsel's files to hold former White House
on the ability of the Ameri- to "ignore or rejects our re- dent now seeks to take a contain millions of pages of Counsel Don McGahn in
can people to know what quests," the panel could wrecking ball to the Consti- classified and unclassified contempt of Congress if he
the executive branch is do- take legal action. tution of the United States." information. He said it was doesn't testify before the
ing." He said, "This cannot Kupec declined to com- And Rep. Cedric Richmond the committee's "abrupt committee later this month.
be." ment. of Louisiana said the road resort to a contempt vote" Nadler rejected a White
But Justice Department Though the White House ahead may be "messy" but that "has not allowed suf- House claim that docu-
spokeswoman Kerri Kupec initially hesitated on invok- Democrats must fight to ficient time for you to con- ments McGahn refused to
said it was disappointing ing privilege, Trump told his "protect our democracy." sider fully whether to make provide despite a subpoe-
that members of Congress staff and political advisers Other Democrats called a conclusive assertion of na are controlled by the
"have chosen to engage in in recent weeks to refuse the standoff a "serious" and executive privilege." White House and thus Mc-
such inappropriate political to cooperate with Demo- "grave" moment. Barr told Trump he should Gahn has no legal right to
theatrics." crats, believing the party's However, the panel's top assert privilege now, "pend- them.
Barr made "extraordinary goal was simply to damage Republican, Doug Collins ing a full decision on the Pelosi, who has tamped
efforts" to provide Con- him politically going into his of Georgia, said Democrats matter." down calls from her liberal
gress and the public with re-election campaign. The were manufacturing a crisis Talks with the Justice De- flank to launch impeach-
information about Mueller's coming legal battle could and rushing the process to partment broke down over ment proceedings against
work, she said. stretch to 2020, and the "sully Bill Barr's good name." the committee's subpoena Trump, said in a Washing-
White House Press Secre- White House is aiming to tie Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, for an unredacted version ton Post interview Wednes-
tary Sarah Sanders said nei- up congressional probes a Trump ally, said the Dem- of the report. day that the president, by
ther the White House nor until Election Day. ocrats were trying to "dele- Barr released a redacted obstructing Congress was
Barr "will comply with Chair- Executive privilege is the gitimize" the president and version of Mueller's 400-plus- becoming "self-impeach-
man Nadler's unlawful and president's power to keep biding time before they try page report to the public able."
reckless demands." information from the courts, to impeach him. last month, but Democrats Mueller, in his report, said he
Late Wednesday the chair- Congress and the public to "Get over it," Gaetz said. subpoenaed the full docu- could not establish a crimi-
man of the House Intelli- protect the confidentiality House Speaker Nancy Pe- ment , along with underly- nal conspiracy between
gence Committee issued of the Oval Office decision- losi has said the next step ing evidence. the Trump campaign and
his own subpoena to the making process. will be consideration by the The department has reject- Russia, but he did not reach
Justice Department for the The president's decision full House. Nadler said that ed that demand, while al- a conclusion on whether
full Mueller report, as the was weeks in the making, will happen soon. lowing a few top lawmak- Trump obstructed justice.
confrontation intensifies. the next inevitable esca- If approved by the House, ers from the House and Barr said he and Deputy At-
Democratic Rep. Adam lation between the White where the Democrats hold Senate to view a version torney General Rod Rosen-
Schiff of California, whose House and Congress over a solid majority, the con- with fewer redactions. That stein decided there were
committee had previously a number of probes. The tempt resolution would al- version blacks out grand not grounds to charge
requested the documents, White House has rejected most certainly move to an jury information, which Trump with obstruction.q