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Barr calls Mueller's criticism of his report summary 'snitty' – live Barr calls Mueller's criticism of his report summary 'snitty' – live
(32 minutes later)
Following the Barr hearing, Senator Lindsey Graham renewed his promise to “investigate whether the Obama-era Justice Department tried to influence the 2016 election in favor of Democrat Hillary Clinton,” the McClatchy News Service is reporting.
At the conclusion of Barr's hearing, @LindseyGrahamSC told me he's prepared to move ahead w/ committee investigation into how Obama-era DOJ/FBI was "so in the tank for Clinton and hated Trump’s guts" and "they manipulated the legal system probably for political reasons."
Now, Graham is emboldened to proceed with his plans to launch an aggressive committee investigation into the “how they were so in the tank for Clinton and hated Trump’s guts, and how they manipulated the legal system probably for political reasons.
“People in your business pretty much missed a great story” in 2016, Graham said, referring to news reporters. “You’re gonna get a second chance at it.”
Graham was one of the first prominent Republican lawmakers to unapologetically shift gears after the conclusion of the Mueller investigation. Satisfied the report cleared Trump of misconduct — a conclusion with which Democrats disagree — Graham promised his committee would hold hearings on the handling of the Clinton email investigation and surveillance initiative.
Hey all, Vivian Ho taking over for Erin Durkin. Hope we’re not feeling too snitty this fine Wednesday.
Attorney General William Barr faced grilling before the Senate, revealing the depth of tensions between himself and Robert Mueller over the handling of the Russia investigation. Barr called Mueller’s letter, in which the special counsel complained that Barr’s memo did not fully capture the report’s findings, “a bit snitty,” and said the controversy over it is “mind-bendingly bizarre.” He was also critical of Mueller’s decision not to come to a conclusion on whether Donald Trump obstructed justice.
Barr struggled to explain his previous testimony to Congress that he was not aware of complaints from Mueller’s team. He said he was talking about members of Mueller’s team as opposed to Mueller himself. Senator Patrick Leahy called his answer “purposely misleading.” Senator Sheldon Whitehouse accused him of “masterful hair splitting.”
Barr dodged several direct questions, including whether anyone at the White House has suggested he open an investigation and whether it was appropriate for Donald Trump to tell his White House counsel to lie about a directive to get Mueller fired. “I’m not in the business of determining when lies are told to the American people. I’m in the business of determining whether a crime was committed,” he said at one point.
Democratic presidential contenders Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, Kirsten Gillibrand, and Cory Booker called for Barr to resign.
The US attorney general has issued a blistering takedown of Robert Mueller: the special counsel’s letter to William Barr was, in Barr’s expert assessment, “a bit snitty”.The word quickly surged to the top of Merriam-Webster’s lookups, the dictionary gurus reported. They define it as “disagreeably ill-tempered”, perhaps an odd description of a man who has maintained a stoic image despite an onslaught of snittiness from the right.The word’s origins, the dictionary says, are mysterious, though it has apparently been in use since 1978.It does not appear in the Guardian’s go-to dictionary, Collins. But it may be related to the word “snit”, which Collins defines as an American and Australian word for “a fit of temper” – as in: “The president’s in another snit on Twitter.”Observers suggested Barr himself, who called controversy over Mueller’s letter “mind-bendingly bizarre”, might in fact be the snitty one.
Senator Bernie Sanders said that Joe Biden’s healthcare plan “doesn’t go anywhere near far enough,” the Hill reports.
“It will be expensive. It will not cover a whole lot of people,” he said.
Biden proposed allowing people to buy into Medicare, whereas Sanders proposes requiring all Americans to be covered by Medicare.
Colorado Senator Michael Bennet is also going to run for president, Colorado Public Radio reports.Colorado Senator Michael Bennet is also going to run for president, Colorado Public Radio reports.
Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer calls for special counsel Robert Mueller to testify before the Senate. Judiciary chairman Lindsey Graham said today he would not call him.Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer calls for special counsel Robert Mueller to testify before the Senate. Judiciary chairman Lindsey Graham said today he would not call him.
The Senate and the American people have a right to hear from the Special Counsel directly about the threat of foreign interference in our elections—and yes, the conduct of their President. https://t.co/OKRiismD35The Senate and the American people have a right to hear from the Special Counsel directly about the threat of foreign interference in our elections—and yes, the conduct of their President. https://t.co/OKRiismD35
Schumer said Attorney General William Barr “routinely mischaracterized the special counsel’s words.”Schumer said Attorney General William Barr “routinely mischaracterized the special counsel’s words.”
“We need to hear from the special counsel himself to sort this out and get the truth,” he said.“We need to hear from the special counsel himself to sort this out and get the truth,” he said.
Senator Richard Blumenthal says Attorney General William Barr should “probably” resign, Yahoo News reports.Senator Richard Blumenthal says Attorney General William Barr should “probably” resign, Yahoo News reports.
NEW: @SenBlumenthal on Barr: "I think he probably should resign" pic.twitter.com/6eIeLWCNaQNEW: @SenBlumenthal on Barr: "I think he probably should resign" pic.twitter.com/6eIeLWCNaQ
William Barr’s comment today about Robert Mueller’s letter is apparently the first time the word “snitty” has been said on the Congressional record.William Barr’s comment today about Robert Mueller’s letter is apparently the first time the word “snitty” has been said on the Congressional record.
Can confirm the word "snitty" has never appeared in the Congressional Record.Can confirm the word "snitty" has never appeared in the Congressional Record.
Texas Rep. Joaquin Castro will not run for Senate against John Cornyn, he tells Texas Monthly.Texas Rep. Joaquin Castro will not run for Senate against John Cornyn, he tells Texas Monthly.
.@JoaquinCastrotx tells me that he not going to run for Senate against @JohnCornyn. pic.twitter.com/0fwr47gchq.@JoaquinCastrotx tells me that he not going to run for Senate against @JohnCornyn. pic.twitter.com/0fwr47gchq
The full exchange between Attorney General William Barr and Senator Kamala Harris when she asked him whether Donald Trump or anyone at the White House had asked him to open an investigation into any particular target, via Huffington Post.
A transcript of AG Barr's tortured response to the question of whether Trump has asked him to investigate his political opponents, via @PaulBlu: https://t.co/5YiWhPZhn7 pic.twitter.com/naltCcttUF
Senator Cory Booker calls for William Barr to resign.
Attorney General Barr answers to the American people—not to President Trump—and over the past 24 hours it’s become clear that he lied to us and mishandled the Mueller Report. He needs to step down. Add your name if you agree: https://t.co/x7KkyROdi5
Joe Biden did not answer when asked by reporters whether Bill Barr should resign, according to a producer covering his rally today, instead responding with, “Hey! How you doin?”
For the third rally in a row, @JoeBiden does not speak with press. He acknowledged a shouted question "Should Bill Barr resign?" with "Hey! How you doin'?" pic.twitter.com/Gsj5QpiX1U
Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Lindsey Graham says he will not call Robert Mueller to testify before the committee. “I’m not going to do any more. Enough already. It’s over,” he said, according to ABC News.
Sen. Lindsey Graham says he won't call for Robert Mueller to testify before Congress: "I'm not going to do any more. Enough already. It's over." https://t.co/rd17bJTJ8u pic.twitter.com/71gLTFBCp6
Graham added: “I’m going to write Mr. Mueller a letter and ask him if he has any dispute with what Mr. Barr said...give him a chance to correct the record if he thought Attorney General Barr in any way misrepresented the findings of his report and that would be it.”
William Barr called Robert Mueller’s letter objecting to his characterization of the Mueller report “snitty,” and refused to hand over to Congress notes on their subsequent phone conversation.
In response to questions from Senator Richard Blumenthal, Barr said he called Mueller after receiving his critical letter and they spoke for about 10 to 15 minutes.
“I said, ‘Bob, what’s with the letter? Why don’t you just pick up the phone and call me if there’s an issue?’” Barr said.
Mueller was on speaker phone and there were multiple observers in the room including Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein, according to Barr.
“He said they were concerned about the way the media was playing this and felt it was important to get out the summaries,” he said. “I asked him if he felt that my letter was misleading or inaccurate, and he said no.”
Blumenthal pointed out that nothing in Mueller’s letter complained about press coverage, but rather said that Barr’s letter did not fully capture the report’s findings and created public confusion.
“His letter was an extraordinary act. A career prosecutor rebuking the Attorney General of the United States, memorializing it in writing,” Blumenthal said.
Barr confirmed that notes were taken on the conversation, and Blumenthal asked if the committee could have them. Barr said no. “Why should you have them?” he said.
He gave his assessment of Mueller’s letter: “The letter’s a bit snitty, and I think it was probably written by one of his staff people.”
With that, the hearing has wrapped up.
William Barr says he does not know whether Robert Mueller reviewed Donald Trump’s tax returns and financial statements.
William Barr argues that the president has the authority to terminate a “groundless” investigation and it would not be improper to do so.
“The president does not have to sit there constitutionally and allow it to run its course. The president could terminate that proceeding and it would not be a corrupt intent, because he was being falsely accused,” Barr said.
“We now know that he was being falsely accused,” Barr added.
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand calls for William Barr to resign.
Attorney General Barr needs to resign. Today, he's proven once again that he's more interested in protecting the president than working for the American people. We can't trust him to tell the truth, and these embarrassing displays of propaganda have to stop.
“If you’re hiding something,” Senator Ted Cruz tells William Barr, “you’re doing a very lousy job of hiding it. Because the thing that they’re suggesting you hid, you released to Congress and the American people.” He drew a chuckle from the AG.
Presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg met with Hillary Clinton on Tuesday, the Hill reports.
The South Bend, Indiana mayor requested the meeting and they met at Clinton’s office in New York. Clinton has also met with Kamala Harris, Cory Booker, and Elizabeth Warren.