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A4 U.S. NEWS
Saturday 4 May 2019

Pushing off impeachment, Democrats find unity attacking Barr

By MARY CLARE JALONICK pear. Even as Democrats
Associated Press struggle with Barr, they are
WASHINGTON (AP) — Dem- in hot pursuit of Mueller's
ocrats are splintered by testimony. Nadler said the
calls to impeach President panel was "firming up the
Donald Trump. But they date" for Mueller's testimo-
have found another com- ny and hoped it would be
mon enemy and an alter- May 15. Trump signaled he
nate political foil in Attor- won't try to stop it. During
ney General William Barr. a brief Oval Office session
Calls for Barr's resignation with reporters Friday, Trump
erupted across the Demo- deferred to Barr, saying,
cratic Party this week af- "I don't know. That's up to
ter he testified before the the attorney general, who
Senate and rebuffed the I think has done a fantastic
House twice, first by deny- job."
ing Democrats a full, unre- It's possible that Barr could
dacted version of special block Mueller from appear-
counsel Robert Mueller's re- ing, since the special coun-
port, and then by skipping sel is still a Justice Depart-
a hearing to review it. In re- ment employee. But Barr
sponse, Democrats threat- has said he has no objec-
ened to hold Barr in criminal House Judiciary Committee Chair Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., waits to start a hearing on the Mueller tion to Mueller testifying.
contempt of Congress — a report without witness Attorney General William Barr who refused to appear, on Capitol Hill in On the other side of the
lengthy legal process that Washington, Thursday, May 2, 2019. Capitol, Senate Judiciary
could go on for months. Associated Press Committee Chairman Lind-
The feud with Barr has ani- sey Graham, R-S.C., says
mated Democrats and start there? I don't agree backlash that would come comply with a validly issued he doesn't need Mueller
temporarily shifted atten- with that," Pelosi said Friday with official proceedings subpoena, the committee to testify to his panel. But
tion away from impeach- at an event in Medford, against Trump. will move to contempt pro- he is willing to hear Mueller
ment — and by extension, Massachusetts. Nadler "can't try to pacify ceedings and seek further out on one, narrow matter.
the party's divisions over Pelosi hasn't held back in his liberal base by pretend- legal recourse." On Friday, he offered to let
whether to pursue it. But her criticism of Barr, accus- ing to do impeachment The Justice Department Mueller provide testimo-
with Trump resisting other ing him of committing a without actually taking the declined to comment on ny "if you would like" as to
congressional investiga- crime by lying to Congress plunge," said Georgia Rep. Nadler's latest threat of whether he felt Barr misrep-
tions, and testimony from about his communications Doug Collins, the top Re- contempt. But White House resented Mueller's views at
Mueller likely on the ho- with Mueller. Justice De- publican on the Judiciary press secretary Sarah Sand- the Senate hearing.
rizon, the impeachment partment spokeswoman panel. ers told reporters that she Barr testified Wednesday
question seems unlikely to Kerri Kupec called Pelosi's Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., believes "at no point will it that Mueller didn't chal-
subside for long. accusation "reckless, irre- called the strategy "im- ever be enough" for Demo- lenge the accuracy of his
For now, House Speaker sponsible and false." peachment in drag." crats. memo summarizing the
Nancy Pelosi and House Ju- Other members of Pelosi's The Barr saga appears des- While a contempt vote principal conclusions of the
diciary Committee Chair- caucus are going after the tined to end up in court. would send a message, it special counsel's report, in-
man Jerrold Nadler, who attorney general in even Nadler threatened Friday wouldn't force the Justice cluding when they spoke
would lead impeachment stronger terms. to hold Barr in contempt if Department to hand over on the phone. Barr made
proceedings, are putting "This is serious misconduct, he did not comply with a fi- the report. Nor would it that assertion despite a let-
their emphasis on investi- this is a serious effort by the nal request to turn over the guarantee criminal charg- ter he received in March
gating Trump, his business administration to prevent Mueller report and the rel- es against Barr: House ap- from Mueller complaining
dealings and his admin- Congress from doing its evant investigative materi- proval of the contempt ci- Barr's summary didn't fully
istration. If Democrats do oversight, and in fact could als. The Justice Department tation would send a criminal capture the "context, na-
decide to impeach the form the basis by itself of is unlikely to comply, likely referral to the U.S. attorney ture and substance" of his
president, they will have articles of impeachment," prompting a vote of con- for the District of Columbia, nearly 400-page report.
already made part of the said Rhode Island Rep. Da- tempt in committee and a Justice Department offi- Graham invited Mueller to
case through oversight. vid Cicilline, a member of then the full House. cial who is likely to defend provide testimony "regard-
Trump's refusal to comply the Judiciary panel, after "The committee is prepared the attorney general. ing any misrepresentation
with their requests — with Barr skipped the hearing to make every realistic ef- But if the U.S. attorney de- by the attorney general
Barr just the latest example Thursday. fort to reach an accom- clines to prosecute, Demo- of the substance of that
— will only strengthen the Republicans say the Demo- modation with the depart- crats have other methods phone call." He did not
case. crats are focusing on Barr ment," Nadler wrote to Barr. to force compliance with specify whether he want-
"Impeachment is never off as a substitute for impeach- "But if the department per- witnesses, like hefty fines ed Mueller to appear in
the table, but should we ment, to avoid the political sists in its baseless refusal to for witnesses who fail to ap- person.q