Hoyer Sets Vote on Barr, McGahn Contempt Charges: ‘Biggest Cover-Up in American History’

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) said he would schedule a vote on June 11 on whether to hold Attorney General William Barr and White House Counsel Don McGahn in Contempt of Congress over Democrats’ demand for an unredacted copy of the Robert Mueller report, and documents and testimony from McGahn related to the report.

“This administration’s systematic refusal to provide Congress with answers and cooperate with congressional subpoenas is the biggest cover-up in American history, and Congress has a responsibility to provide oversight on behalf of the American people,” Hoyer said in a statement.

Bloomberg reported: 

The House Judiciary panel voted last month to hold Barr in contempt, setting off a long and uncertain process for Democrats trying to obtain more information on Mueller’s probe of [President Donald Trump] and Russian election meddling.

McGahn defied a congressional subpoena last month by declining to testify before the Judiciary panel at the direction of the White House.

Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler, a New York Democrat, has said that the next step after a contempt vote of the whole chamber would be to pursue civil contempt cases against Barr and McGahn, but he wouldn’t rule out pursuing criminal contempt as well.

Bloomberg noted that Nadler also issued subpoenas to two former Trump advisers, Hope Hicks and Annie Donaldson, compelling them to testify before the committee and provide requested documents.

The Bloomberg report said that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has said Barr should be held in contempt and that impeaching the nation’s top law enforcement official is “on the table.”

“Trump, acting on Barr’s advice, formally asserted executive privilege to block the release of more Mueller-related information,” Bloomberg reported.

At least one Democrat — Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) — said a contempt charge against Barr doesn’t go far enough.

“I’m for impeachment,” Waters said in the Bloomberg report.

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