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| Justice Dept. Says It Will Share Some Mueller-Related Intelligence With House Committee | Justice Dept. Says It Will Share Some Mueller-Related Intelligence With House Committee |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| WASHINGTON — The House Intelligence Committee chairman said Wednesday that the Justice Department had agreed to begin honoring a subpoena for intelligence materials related to the special counsel’s investigation, staving off Democratic action to try to force compliance. | WASHINGTON — The House Intelligence Committee chairman said Wednesday that the Justice Department had agreed to begin honoring a subpoena for intelligence materials related to the special counsel’s investigation, staving off Democratic action to try to force compliance. |
| The department could begin handing over counterintelligence and foreign intelligence-related documents as soon as this week, the chairman, Representative Adam B. Schiff of California, said Wednesday morning. The action prompted him to cancel a committee meeting scheduled for later in the day at which Democrats had planned to vote on an unspecified “enforcement action” to increase pressure on the department. | The department could begin handing over counterintelligence and foreign intelligence-related documents as soon as this week, the chairman, Representative Adam B. Schiff of California, said Wednesday morning. The action prompted him to cancel a committee meeting scheduled for later in the day at which Democrats had planned to vote on an unspecified “enforcement action” to increase pressure on the department. |
| But it was unclear if the agreement was a sign of a broader thaw in tensions between the Democratic House and the Trump administration or a limited concession based on the strength of the Intelligence Committee’s legal case for getting the information. Just a few hours later, President Trump abruptly blew up a meeting with Democratic leaders over infrastructure, citing his rage at Democrats’ “phony” investigations and pledging not to work with them on other matters until the inquiries are ended. | |
| Mr. Schiff’s subpoena is broad, encompassing Robert S. Mueller III’s full report, its underlying evidence and the intelligence-related materials his investigation produced. But in an effort to find an initial compromise, Mr. Schiff said he would accept documents in 12 narrower categories, though he has not specified publicly what they are. | Mr. Schiff’s subpoena is broad, encompassing Robert S. Mueller III’s full report, its underlying evidence and the intelligence-related materials his investigation produced. But in an effort to find an initial compromise, Mr. Schiff said he would accept documents in 12 narrower categories, though he has not specified publicly what they are. |
| Speaking with reporters a short time later, he said the initial compliance “does not obviate the need for the subpoena.” He added: “We will keep that in force until we get all the documents we are seeking.” | Speaking with reporters a short time later, he said the initial compliance “does not obviate the need for the subpoena.” He added: “We will keep that in force until we get all the documents we are seeking.” |
| The department spokeswoman, Kerri Kupec, said the agency appreciated “continued dialogue” with the Intelligence Committee and looked forward to “appropriately accommodating” the committee’s requests. | The department spokeswoman, Kerri Kupec, said the agency appreciated “continued dialogue” with the Intelligence Committee and looked forward to “appropriately accommodating” the committee’s requests. |
| A spokesman for the panel’s top Republican, Representative Devin Nunes of California, who had supported Mr. Schiff’s initial request for the intelligence materials, did not return a request for comment. | A spokesman for the panel’s top Republican, Representative Devin Nunes of California, who had supported Mr. Schiff’s initial request for the intelligence materials, did not return a request for comment. |
| The potential détente — however long it lasts or broad it may be — stands in sharp contrast to relations between the Justice Department and the House Judiciary Committee, where tensions over a similar subpoena for Mr. Mueller’s full report and evidence quickly escalated. Unable to reach an accommodation, the Judiciary Committee moved this month to hold Attorney General William P. Barr in contempt of Congress and President Trump invoked executive privilege, walling off the materials they wanted for an investigation into obstruction of justice and abuse of power. | The potential détente — however long it lasts or broad it may be — stands in sharp contrast to relations between the Justice Department and the House Judiciary Committee, where tensions over a similar subpoena for Mr. Mueller’s full report and evidence quickly escalated. Unable to reach an accommodation, the Judiciary Committee moved this month to hold Attorney General William P. Barr in contempt of Congress and President Trump invoked executive privilege, walling off the materials they wanted for an investigation into obstruction of justice and abuse of power. |
| The Intelligence Committee appears to be getting material that was not subject to the privilege claim. As one of two congressional bodies charged with overseeing American intelligence agencies, it has strong legal claims on such counterintelligence and intelligence information, and in this case, the Democrats requesting the material had the support of Republicans on the committee. | The Intelligence Committee appears to be getting material that was not subject to the privilege claim. As one of two congressional bodies charged with overseeing American intelligence agencies, it has strong legal claims on such counterintelligence and intelligence information, and in this case, the Democrats requesting the material had the support of Republicans on the committee. |
| It is unclear if the department will reconsider Mr. Trump’s privilege claim going forward. Democrats plan to challenge it in court and to hold a House vote in early June on holding Mr. Barr in contempt for his defiance of the Judiciary Committee’s subpoena. | It is unclear if the department will reconsider Mr. Trump’s privilege claim going forward. Democrats plan to challenge it in court and to hold a House vote in early June on holding Mr. Barr in contempt for his defiance of the Judiciary Committee’s subpoena. |
| “This is no substitute in any way, shape or form for the appearance of Bob Mueller before our committee and the Judiciary Committee,” Mr. Schiff told reporters. “It’s no substitute for the appearance of Don McGahn and the other witnesses that have been subpoenaed to come before the committee. But we are pleased we are finally going to start to receive documents we are entitled to from the Department of Justice.” | “This is no substitute in any way, shape or form for the appearance of Bob Mueller before our committee and the Judiciary Committee,” Mr. Schiff told reporters. “It’s no substitute for the appearance of Don McGahn and the other witnesses that have been subpoenaed to come before the committee. But we are pleased we are finally going to start to receive documents we are entitled to from the Department of Justice.” |
| Still, the de-escalation comes as liberal Democratic lawmakers are increasingly restless over the administration’s stonewalling of congressional requests and subpoenas, and a growing number have begun calling for the opening of an impeachment inquiry. The cooperation will likely strengthen the hand of Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her allies, who have argued instead that Democrats should stay the course of their current no-impeachment strategy. | Still, the de-escalation comes as liberal Democratic lawmakers are increasingly restless over the administration’s stonewalling of congressional requests and subpoenas, and a growing number have begun calling for the opening of an impeachment inquiry. The cooperation will likely strengthen the hand of Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her allies, who have argued instead that Democrats should stay the course of their current no-impeachment strategy. |
| The Justice Department wrote in a letter to Mr. Schiff on Tuesday that it was already in the process of locating and reviewing materials related to the 12 categories and could make them available in “relatively short order.” | The Justice Department wrote in a letter to Mr. Schiff on Tuesday that it was already in the process of locating and reviewing materials related to the 12 categories and could make them available in “relatively short order.” |
| But the department has stated that it would comply in this way only if the committee did not proceed with the previously scheduled vote on its enforcement action. | But the department has stated that it would comply in this way only if the committee did not proceed with the previously scheduled vote on its enforcement action. |
| “The proposal set forth above represents a good-faith effort and extraordinary accommodation of the committee’s request for information by proposing a realistic process to provide the committee with information pertaining to counterintelligence and foreign-intelligence activities related to the special counsel’s investigation,” Stephen E. Boyd, an assistant attorney general, wrote in the Tuesday letter. | “The proposal set forth above represents a good-faith effort and extraordinary accommodation of the committee’s request for information by proposing a realistic process to provide the committee with information pertaining to counterintelligence and foreign-intelligence activities related to the special counsel’s investigation,” Stephen E. Boyd, an assistant attorney general, wrote in the Tuesday letter. |
| The department said it was also willing to allow all members of the Intelligence Committee to view a limited redacted version of the first volume of Mr. Mueller’s report. It had previously allowed only a handful of lawmakers in both the House and Senate to see those materials. | The department said it was also willing to allow all members of the Intelligence Committee to view a limited redacted version of the first volume of Mr. Mueller’s report. It had previously allowed only a handful of lawmakers in both the House and Senate to see those materials. |