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| Barr reportedly to skip House testimony after Senate grilling – as it happened | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| A snitty end to a snitty day. Happy Wednesday. | |
| Attorney general William Barr will not testify before House judiciary committee tomorrow, as is scheduled. It appears he has issue with a staff attorney questioning him. The House judiciary committee is not swayed, and plans to meet tomorrow, with or without Barr. The committee is now threatening to “start contempt proceedings.” | |
| House judiciary committee chair Jerry Nadler appears to have more planned, however, and told reporters that he wants special counsel Robert Mueller to testify before the committee on 15 May. | |
| Taxpayers may be on the hook for a $1,000 Mar-a-Lago bar tab, according to ProPublica. | |
| The Justice Department has responded to House judiciary chair Jerry Nadler’s subpoena for the unredacted Mueller report: “This is not a legitimate use of congressional investigative authority.” | The Justice Department has responded to House judiciary chair Jerry Nadler’s subpoena for the unredacted Mueller report: “This is not a legitimate use of congressional investigative authority.” |
| In new letter, DOJ tells Nadler that subpoena for full Mueller report and investigative files "is not legitimate oversight" and that his requests are "overbroad and extraordinarily burdensome.” https://t.co/vsH2JQs15W | In new letter, DOJ tells Nadler that subpoena for full Mueller report and investigative files "is not legitimate oversight" and that his requests are "overbroad and extraordinarily burdensome.” https://t.co/vsH2JQs15W |
| Read the letter in full here. | Read the letter in full here. |
| Here’s the full statement from House judiciary chair Jerry Nadler: | Here’s the full statement from House judiciary chair Jerry Nadler: |
| House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler says if Attorney General William Barr doesn't provide the unredacted Mueller report to Congress in the next day or two, "the next step is seeking a contempt citation against the attorney general." https://t.co/muIkjgd0aT pic.twitter.com/s0q6kBctHw | House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler says if Attorney General William Barr doesn't provide the unredacted Mueller report to Congress in the next day or two, "the next step is seeking a contempt citation against the attorney general." https://t.co/muIkjgd0aT pic.twitter.com/s0q6kBctHw |
| Here’s attorney general William Barr’s full statement for why he won’t be testifying tomorrow before the House judiciary committee: | Here’s attorney general William Barr’s full statement for why he won’t be testifying tomorrow before the House judiciary committee: |
| Barr’s statement makes clear that the sole basis for his refusal to testify before House Judiciary is that they intended to have a staff attorney ask questions.Apparently Barr doesn’t want to face 30 minutes of well-crafted questions. pic.twitter.com/4pWMoFzKHp | Barr’s statement makes clear that the sole basis for his refusal to testify before House Judiciary is that they intended to have a staff attorney ask questions.Apparently Barr doesn’t want to face 30 minutes of well-crafted questions. pic.twitter.com/4pWMoFzKHp |
| Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon confirms reports that attorney general William Barr will not appear before the House judiciary committee on Thursday. | Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon confirms reports that attorney general William Barr will not appear before the House judiciary committee on Thursday. |
| We were just notified that AG Barr will not be appearing before @HouseJudiciary tomorrow. He has also ignored our subpoena for the full #MullerReport and underlying evidence. This is a continuation of efforts to stonewall Congressional oversight. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/lrOLA8CymN | We were just notified that AG Barr will not be appearing before @HouseJudiciary tomorrow. He has also ignored our subpoena for the full #MullerReport and underlying evidence. This is a continuation of efforts to stonewall Congressional oversight. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/lrOLA8CymN |
| We are talking to the Department of Justice and if they do not comply, we will be forced to start contempt proceedings. (2/2) | We are talking to the Department of Justice and if they do not comply, we will be forced to start contempt proceedings. (2/2) |
| Moving on to a different type of Barr, it appears we the taxpayers are footing a $1,000-bar tab from one of President Trump’s visits to Mar-a-Lago. | Moving on to a different type of Barr, it appears we the taxpayers are footing a $1,000-bar tab from one of President Trump’s visits to Mar-a-Lago. |
| NEW: This is a receipt for a $1k bar tab from one of Trump's visits to Mar-a-Lago.The White House ended up paying the club — with taxpayer money. Anyone spot a conflict of interest?Keep up: https://t.co/3bMpm1jTiQRead: https://t.co/dUc40cWE0JListen: https://t.co/D2Q17ec0e4 pic.twitter.com/yVCHJcglsQ | NEW: This is a receipt for a $1k bar tab from one of Trump's visits to Mar-a-Lago.The White House ended up paying the club — with taxpayer money. Anyone spot a conflict of interest?Keep up: https://t.co/3bMpm1jTiQRead: https://t.co/dUc40cWE0JListen: https://t.co/D2Q17ec0e4 pic.twitter.com/yVCHJcglsQ |
| ProPublica reports that this particular bar tab stems from the two-day summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in April 2017. There was the typical lavish dinner, yes. But where the lines blur are with the “less formal events”: | ProPublica reports that this particular bar tab stems from the two-day summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in April 2017. There was the typical lavish dinner, yes. But where the lines blur are with the “less formal events”: |
| At some point later that evening, a group repaired to Mar-a-Lago’s Library Bar, a wood-paneled study with a portrait of Trump in tennis whites (titled “The Visionary”) hanging nearby. The group asked the bartender to leave the room so it “could speak confidentially,” according to an email written by Mar-a-Lago’s catering director, Brooke Watson. | At some point later that evening, a group repaired to Mar-a-Lago’s Library Bar, a wood-paneled study with a portrait of Trump in tennis whites (titled “The Visionary”) hanging nearby. The group asked the bartender to leave the room so it “could speak confidentially,” according to an email written by Mar-a-Lago’s catering director, Brooke Watson. |
| The Secret Service guarded the door, according to the email. The bartender wasn’t allowed to return. And members of the group began pouring themselves drinks. No one paid. | The Secret Service guarded the door, according to the email. The bartender wasn’t allowed to return. And members of the group began pouring themselves drinks. No one paid. |
| Six days later, on April 13, Mar-a-Lago created a bill for those drinks, tallying $838 worth of alcohol plus a 20% service charge. It covered 54 drinks (making for an average price of $18.62 each) of premium liquor: Chopin vodka, Patron and Don Julio Blanco tequilas and Woodford Reserve bourbon. Watson’s email did not specify how many people consumed the alcohol or who the participants were. (It stated that she was told the participants included then-strategist Steve Bannon and then-deputy chief of staff Joe Hagin. Bannon, who has said he stopped drinking years ago, said he didn’t drink at Mar-a-Lago and didn’t recall the episode. Hagin did not respond to requests for comment.) | Six days later, on April 13, Mar-a-Lago created a bill for those drinks, tallying $838 worth of alcohol plus a 20% service charge. It covered 54 drinks (making for an average price of $18.62 each) of premium liquor: Chopin vodka, Patron and Don Julio Blanco tequilas and Woodford Reserve bourbon. Watson’s email did not specify how many people consumed the alcohol or who the participants were. (It stated that she was told the participants included then-strategist Steve Bannon and then-deputy chief of staff Joe Hagin. Bannon, who has said he stopped drinking years ago, said he didn’t drink at Mar-a-Lago and didn’t recall the episode. Hagin did not respond to requests for comment.) |
| The bill was sent to the State Department, which objected to covering it. It was then forwarded to the White House, which paid the tab. | The bill was sent to the State Department, which objected to covering it. It was then forwarded to the White House, which paid the tab. |
| The unusual cocktail hour underscores a unique push and pull in the current administration: Donald Trump’s White House pays a bill and Donald Trump’s club reaps the revenue. (It’s unclear if the White House asked any of those drinking to reimburse the government; the White House declined to comment.) | The unusual cocktail hour underscores a unique push and pull in the current administration: Donald Trump’s White House pays a bill and Donald Trump’s club reaps the revenue. (It’s unclear if the White House asked any of those drinking to reimburse the government; the White House declined to comment.) |
| Read more of ProPublica’s stunning reporting here. | Read more of ProPublica’s stunning reporting here. |
| The relationship between Trump’s private businesses and government spending has been in question for some time. On Tuesday, a federal judge ruled that Democrats in Congress can move forward with their lawsuit alleging that President Trump’s private business violates the Constitution’s ban on gifts or payments from foreign governments. | The relationship between Trump’s private businesses and government spending has been in question for some time. On Tuesday, a federal judge ruled that Democrats in Congress can move forward with their lawsuit alleging that President Trump’s private business violates the Constitution’s ban on gifts or payments from foreign governments. |
| Our brilliant colleague Sabrina Siddiqui is reporting that House judiciary chair Jerry Nadler has even more plans: | Our brilliant colleague Sabrina Siddiqui is reporting that House judiciary chair Jerry Nadler has even more plans: |
| NADLER says he wants MUELLER to testify before the House judiciary committee on May 15. | NADLER says he wants MUELLER to testify before the House judiciary committee on May 15. |
| Attorney general William Barr may be planning on skipping out on House testimony tomorrow, but House judiciary chair Jerry Nadler plans to meet as usual, according to reports. | Attorney general William Barr may be planning on skipping out on House testimony tomorrow, but House judiciary chair Jerry Nadler plans to meet as usual, according to reports. |
| Judiciary Committee will meet at 9a as planned, chairman nadler says, and he hopes AG Barr will be there | Judiciary Committee will meet at 9a as planned, chairman nadler says, and he hopes AG Barr will be there |
| House Judiciary Cmte Chairman Nadler says Barr has had "lack of candor," has signaled he will not comply with subpoena for full Mueller report, and "has the nerve to dictate our procedures" as part of the administration's "complete stonewalling of Congress. | House Judiciary Cmte Chairman Nadler says Barr has had "lack of candor," has signaled he will not comply with subpoena for full Mueller report, and "has the nerve to dictate our procedures" as part of the administration's "complete stonewalling of Congress. |
| After an arguably “snitty” hearing before the Senate today, it appears that attorney general William Barr will not be testifying before the House judiciary committee on Thursday, as scheduled. | After an arguably “snitty” hearing before the Senate today, it appears that attorney general William Barr will not be testifying before the House judiciary committee on Thursday, as scheduled. |
| Congressman Doug Collins, the top Republican on the House judiciary committee told the Hill that he does not believe Barr will attend the hearing, nor does he believe he should. Collins accused Democrats of treating Barr “like trash” during Wednesday’s testimony. | Congressman Doug Collins, the top Republican on the House judiciary committee told the Hill that he does not believe Barr will attend the hearing, nor does he believe he should. Collins accused Democrats of treating Barr “like trash” during Wednesday’s testimony. |
| “No, I do not [think Barr will attend the hearing] — and I don’t encourage him to,” Collins told The Hill. “If you saw the abuse of power from the chairman [Congressman Jerry Nadler] this morning in the committee hearing, I think that is something that is very disturbing and should be disturbing to all members.” | “No, I do not [think Barr will attend the hearing] — and I don’t encourage him to,” Collins told The Hill. “If you saw the abuse of power from the chairman [Congressman Jerry Nadler] this morning in the committee hearing, I think that is something that is very disturbing and should be disturbing to all members.” |
| BREAKING: Per a congressional source, the House Judiciary Committee has been notified by the DOJ that Attorney General Barr is NOT coming to testify tomorrow. DOJ has told the committee to expect a letter officially stating that shortly, according to my source. | BREAKING: Per a congressional source, the House Judiciary Committee has been notified by the DOJ that Attorney General Barr is NOT coming to testify tomorrow. DOJ has told the committee to expect a letter officially stating that shortly, according to my source. |
| My source has made it clear that the next step is to subpoena AG Barr to make him come testify before the House Judiciary Committee and compel him to answer questions posed by congressional attorneys. A reminder: The hang up is that Barr only wants Qs to come from lawmakers. | My source has made it clear that the next step is to subpoena AG Barr to make him come testify before the House Judiciary Committee and compel him to answer questions posed by congressional attorneys. A reminder: The hang up is that Barr only wants Qs to come from lawmakers. |
| Per a House Judiciary Committee aide: We were told AG Barr is not coming to testify tomorrow and are expecting a letter from DOJ shortly officially stating as much. The House Judiciary Committee will still hold a hearing tomorrow at 9am without Barr. | Per a House Judiciary Committee aide: We were told AG Barr is not coming to testify tomorrow and are expecting a letter from DOJ shortly officially stating as much. The House Judiciary Committee will still hold a hearing tomorrow at 9am without Barr. |
| Breaking: Barr to blow off House Judiciary hearing tomorrow. Committee likely to subpoena and set up yet another showdown. | Breaking: Barr to blow off House Judiciary hearing tomorrow. Committee likely to subpoena and set up yet another showdown. |
| If you’ll back up a few days, you’ll recall that Barr has been threatening to skip Thursday’s hearing for a while now, voicing objections over the panel’s questioning format. | If you’ll back up a few days, you’ll recall that Barr has been threatening to skip Thursday’s hearing for a while now, voicing objections over the panel’s questioning format. |
| 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. | 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." | 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. | 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.” | “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. | 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. | 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. | 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 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | “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. | 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/OKRiismD35 | 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/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/6eIeLWCNaQ | NEW: @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 |