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U.S. NEWS Saturday 9 February 2019

Mueller probe

Continued from Front “You decided that your pri-
vate interest in overseeing
“Mr. Whitaker, that was a this particular investigation,
statement, not a question. and perhaps others from
I assume you know the dif- which you should have
ference.” Yet Democrats been recused, was more
yielded no new informa- important than the integrity
tion about the status of the of the department,” said
Mueller probe as Whitaker Nadler, of New York. “The
repeatedly refused to dis- question that this commit-
cuss conversations with the tee must now ask is: Why?”
president or answer ques- Whitaker toggled between
tions that he thought might defending his role in the
reveal details. Though special counsel’s investiga-
clearly exasperated — he tion and echoing the presi-
drew gasps and chuckles dent’s talking points, con-
when he told the com- ceding for instance that
mittee chairman that his while foreign interference
five-minute time limit for in U.S. elections was a prob-
questions was up — Whita- lem, so too was voter fraud
ker nonetheless sought to — a key issue for Republi-
assuage Democratic con- cans, but one that Demo-
cerns by insisting he had crats say is overstated. He
never discussed the Muel- said he had no reason to Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., questions Acting Attorney General Matthew
Whitaker as he appears before the House Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill, Friday, Feb. 8, 2019,
ler probe with Trump or doubt Mueller’s honesty or in Washington.
other White House officials, to believe that he was con- Associated Press
and that there’d been no flicted in his leadership of
change in its “overall man- the investigation.
agement.” But he also declined to say
“We have followed the if he still agreed with sharp-
special counsel’s regula- ly critical comments about
tions to a T,” Whitaker said. the Mueller probe that he
“There has been no event, made as a television com-
no decision, that has re- mentator before arriving
quired me to take any at the Justice Department
action, and I have not in- in the fall of 2017 as chief
terfered in any way with of staff to then-Attorney
the special counsel’s in- General Jeff Sessions. And
vestigation.” Republicans he passed up a chance to
made clear they viewed break from the president’s
the hearing as pointless characterization of the
political grandstanding, Mueller investigation as a
especially since Whitaker “witch hunt,” saying simply,
may have less than a week “I think it would be inap-
left in the job, and some re- propriate for me to com-
spected his wishes by ask- ment about an ongoing in-
ing questions about topics vestigation.” Whitaker also
other than Mueller’s probe denied a news report that
into potential coordination Trump had lashed out at
between Russia and the him after the guilty plea of
Trump campaign. The Sen- Michael Cohen, the presi-
ate is expected to vote as dent’s former lawyer. But
soon as next week on con- he did not answer directly
firming William Barr, Trump’s about whether he had dis-
pick for attorney general. cussed that investigation,
“I’m thinking about may- run by prosecutors in New
be we just set up a pop- York, with Trump, insisting
corn machine in the back only that the president had
because that’s what this never instructed him to
is becoming. It’s becom- take particular actions.
ing a show,” said Repub- He said his comment at
lican Rep. Doug Collins of an unrelated news confer-
Georgia, who accused his ence last week that the
Democratic colleagues of Mueller investigation was
“character assassination.” close to wrapping up —
But Rep. Jerrold Nadler, the a remark that generated
committee chairman who significant attention and
a day earlier had threat- speculation — reflected
ened to subpoena Whita- only “my position as acting
ker to ensure his appear- attorney general.” He said
ance, left no doubt about Mueller would finish on his
his party’s focus. own schedule.q