Democrats Plan To Subpoena Mueller’s Report To Ensure ‘Maximum Transparency’
In a statement on Monday, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler said that he scheduled a markup on Wednesday at 9 a.m. for the committee to vote on authorizing special counsel Robert Mueller’s full report on the Trump-Russia investigation. Although Attorney General William Barr told Congress that the public version of the report will likely be ready for public release by mid-April or sooner, Nadler suggests that Barr is not open to release the full version of the report, per The Hill.
“The Attorney General should reconsider so that we can work together to ensure the maximum transparency of this important report to both Congress and the American people.”
Nadler added that the report should be released “without delay.”
Last month, Nadler’s panel, which has jurisdiction over impeachment, requested for 81 entities and individuals to provide documents to the White House as part of its oversight Trump probe. But five individuals have yet to provide the requested documents, and the new resolution will authorize the panel to subpoena these individuals.
The individuals in question are former Trump campaign chairman Steve Bannon, former White House counsel Donald McGahn and his former deputy Ann Donaldson, former White House chief of staff Reince Priebus, and former White House communications director Hope Hicks.
“I am grateful to the many individuals who have cooperated with our initial request for documents,” Nadler said in a statement.
“Regrettably, not everyone has chosen to voluntarily cooperate with the Committee at this time. I am particularly concerned about reports that documents relevant to the Special Counsel investigation were sent outside the White House, waving applicable privileges.”
“To this end, I have asked the Committee to authorize me to issue subpoenas, if necessary, to compel the production of documents and testimony,” he added.
NEW: Democrats to authorize subpoena for full Mueller report https://t.co/C2CNi8n44S pic.twitter.com/Z87EjWPjWr
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) April 1, 2019
Per Politico, all of the five individuals that Nadler’s panel wants to subpoena might have White House materials that are relevant to both the Mueller probe or their outside lawyers. Democrats believe that because of this, they do not have the right to assert protection privileges.
As The Inquisitr reported, the battle between Congress and the Department of Justice has just begun, as Democrats plan to fight Attorney General William Barr over the release of evidence obtained using grand juries. Although Barr claims that federal law protects this evidence, other high-profile cases saw the government contradict his claims.
Republications are also planning their own battle to investigate Obama officials in retaliation for the Mueller investigation.
