WASHINGTON (AP) Attorney General William Barr skipped a House hearing this morning on special counsel Robert Muellers Trump-Russia report, escalating an already acrimonious battle between Democrats and President Donald Trumps Justice Department.
Barrs decision, made after a disagreement with a House committee over questioning, came the day the department also missed a committee deadline to provide it with a full, unredacted version of Muellers report and its underlying evidence. In all, its likely to prompt a vote on holding Barr in contempt and possibly the issuance of subpoenas, bringing House Democrats and the Trump administration closer to a prolonged battle in court.
As the hearing opened, lawmakers faced an empty chair with a place card set for Barr. Democratic members of the committee had fun with the spectacle, placing a prop chicken by Barrs microphone to underscore their contention that he was afraid to appear and jokingly looking under the desk to make sure he wasnt there.
Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler of New York said that if Barr doesnt provide the committee with the information it demands and the respect that it deserves, Mr. Barrs moment of accountability will come soon enough.
As Barr refused to testify, Democrats sought to speak to Mueller himself. Nadler said the panel hoped the special counsel would appear before the committee on May 15 and the panel was firming up the date.
The attorney generals cancellation meant he would avoid another round of sharp questioning after testifying Wednesday before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Democrats on the panel contended that Barr was protecting Trump after he assessed Muellers report on his own and declared there wasnt enough evidence that the president had committed obstruction of justice. Mueller didnt charge Trump with obstruction but wrote that he couldnt exonerate him, either.
