Nadler: If DOJ Doesn’t Agree to Comply With Subpoenas in ‘Next Day or Two,’ We’ll Seek Contempt Citation Against Barr

During a press conference on Wednesday, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-NY) announced that Attorney General William Barr won’t attend the House Judiciary Committee’s hearing on Thursday, and the DOJ isn’t complying with their subpoena for the unredacted Mueller report. Nadler warned that if there isn’t a pledge of compliance, “in the next day or two, the next step is seeking a contempt citation against the attorney general.”

Nadler said, “Attorney General Barr has just informed us that he will not attend tomorrow’s hearing. Given his lack of candor in describing the work of the special counsel, our members were right to insist that staff counsel be permitted to question the attorney general. I understand why he wants to avoid that kind of scrutiny, but when push comes to shove, the administration cannot dictate the terms of our hearing in our hearing room. The Department of Justice has also told us that they will not comply with our subpoena for the full, unredacted Mueller report, a subpoena that was returnable today. I will continue to work with the attorney general to reach a reasonable accommodation on access to the full report and the underlying evidence, but not for much longer. Compliance with congressional subpoenas is not optional, and if good faith negotiations don’t result in a pledge of compliance in the next day or two, the next step is seeking a contempt citation against the attorney general.”

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