U.S. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler said Attorney General William Barr must testify before his panel on Thursday and we will take whatever action we have to take if he doesn't
Monday, April 29, 2019
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FILE PHOTO: U.S. Attorney General Barr speaks at a news conference to discuss Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report on Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential race, in Washington |
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FILE PHOTO: Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) speaks during a mark up hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., March 26, 2019. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts/File Photo |
VietPress USA (April 29, 2019): Special counsel Robert Mueller took nearly 2 years to investigate Trump and his campaign 2016 and submit a final report of 400 pages to Attorney General William Barr.
Democratic controlled House has requested Justice Department to hand over a full copy of Robert Mueller's report; but William Barr, a Trump appointee, just released a redacted version of the document on April 18, 2019.
U.S. House Judiciary Committee has requested Attorney General Barr to be testified before this committee; but a Democratic congressional aide on Sunday said that Barr might skip the hearing because he objects to plans for an extra hour of questioning that would include committee lawyers, and a closed session to discuss classified sections of U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russian investigation report.
Today on Monday, U.S. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler said that Attorney General William Barr must testify before his panel on Thursday, despite Barr's reported objections to a more aggressive format for questions planned by Democrats.
Nadler told reporters.: "We've been very clear. Barr has to come. He has to testify. It's none of the business of a witness to try to dictate to a congressional committee what our procedures for questioning him are."
Nadler added:"He is supposed to show up on Thursday and we will take whatever action we have to take if he doesn't."
Read this news from Reuters on Yahoo News at: https://news.yahoo.com/house-panel-chairman-says-barr-must-testify-thursday-003058534.html
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House panel chairman says Barr must testify Thursday
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler said on Monday that Attorney General William Barr must testify before his panel on Thursday, despite Barr's reported objections to a more aggressive format for questions planned by Democrats.
"We've been very clear. Barr has to come. He has to testify. It's none of the business of a witness to try to dictate to a congressional committee what our procedures for questioning him are," Nadler told reporters.
"He is supposed to show up on Thursday and we will take whatever action we have to take if he doesn't," he added.
Justice Department officials had no immediate comment on the lawmaker's remarks.
A Democratic congressional aide on Sunday said that Barr might skip the hearing because he objects to plans for an extra hour of questioning that would include committee lawyers, and a closed session to discuss classified sections of U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russian investigation report.
The report covers Mueller's probe of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential campaign and actions by President Donald Trump and his campaign.
It details a series of actions by Trump to impede the Russia probe. It did not conclude whether those actions constituted the crime of obstruction. But it did conclude that Trump and his campaign had not engaged in a criminal conspiracy with Moscow.
Barr, a Trump appointee, released a redacted version of the document on April 18.
Nadler has subpoenaed the full document and demanded that the Justice Department provide it and underlying evidence by 10 a.m. EDT on Wednesday. After meeting with Justice Department officials earlier on Monday, the chairman said he expects the administration to adhere to the deadline.
Republicans on Nadler's committee have sided with the attorney general, saying the demands are unreasonable.
But Democrats say the new format is necessary to ensure that witnesses answer the questions posed. The traditional hearing format gives each lawmaker five minutes for questions. But Democrats say Trump administration officials have become adept at running out the clock.
Nadler said he would not negotiate on the hearing's format.
"That's an affair entirely for Congress ... administration witnesses have to come in and be examined as the committee sees fit," he said.
(Reporting by David Morgan; editing by Sandra Maler and G Crosse)
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