Acting U.S. attorney general balks at testifying under subpoena threat

[webfact]

Acting U.S. attorney general balks at testifying under subpoena threat

By Sarah N. Lynch

 

Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker arrives to address a news conference about charges against China's Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, its chief financial officer and two affiliates, at the Justice Department in Washington, U.S., January 28, 2019. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrats on the U.S. House Judiciary Committee refused on Thursday to withdraw their threat to subpoena acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker, raising doubts as to whether Whitaker will show up to a hearing before the panel scheduled for Friday morning.

 

The committee's Democrats want to question Whitaker about his oversight of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election and his communications with the White House related to the probe and the firing of former Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

 

He had previously agreed to come testify before the panel voluntarily.

 

But Whitaker, whom President Donald Trump chose to head the Justice Department after firing Sessions in November, said earlier on Thursday that he would not show up if Democrats issue him a subpoena, saying their threats show their "true intention" to "create a public spectacle."

 

Shortly before Whitaker's threat to withdraw from the hearing, the House Judiciary Committee had voted 23-13 along party lines to have a subpoena ready in case Whitaker fails to show up or refuses to answer questions.

 

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler said the vote only authorized a subpoena, but that one would not be issued as long as Whitaker appeared at the hearing and cooperated.

 

A subpoena would compel Whitaker to testify. If he still declined, Democrats could take steps to have him held in contempt of Congress.

 

Whitaker, in a statement, said he would show up only if Democrats committed not to issue a subpoena.

 

In response, Nadler said Thursday night that if Whitaker agrees to show up and answer questions, then "there will be no need for the committee to issue a subpoena on or before February 8."

 

A Justice Department spokeswoman did not have immediate comment.

 

Whitaker has faced criticism since Trump appointed him. Prior to joining the Justice Department, Whitaker made multiple negative comments about Mueller’s investigation into whether Trump’s campaign may have colluded with Russia.

 

He also has declined to recuse himself from overseeing the investigation after career ethics officials at the department urged him to step aside to avoid the appearance of a conflict.

 

Trump has denied collusion with Russia and has called Mueller's probe a witch hunt.

 

Nadler has warned Whitaker that he should not try to dodge questions by asserting the answers could involve matters subject to executive privilege, and provided Whitaker in advance with a list of questions he can expect on Friday.

 

Sessions often refused to discuss any of his communications with the White House, even if the White House had not invoked executive privilege.

 

Nadler also has tussled with the Justice Department over the scheduling for Whitaker's testimony.

 

On Thursday, Nadler also claimed some Justice Department officials may have counselled Whitaker not to attend Friday's hearing.

 

Democrats have little time to question Whitaker while he is still head of the Justice Department. Earlier Thursday, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted along party lines to the send nomination of William Barr as next U.S. attorney general to the full Senate for consideration. A vote is expected next week.

 

A Justice Department spokeswoman said Whitaker had been preparing for the hearing since December, a process that has involved mock hearings and briefings by dozens of staffers in every major component of the department.

 

Assistant Attorney General Stephen Boyd, in a letter to Nadler, said Whitaker is prepared to discuss some topics if the subpoena threat is removed, including his decision not to recuse himself from the Russia probe.

 

"The Acting Attorney General will testify that at no time did the White House ask for...any promises or commitments concerning the Special Counsel's investigation," Boyd wrote.

 

However, Boyd added, Whitaker cannot divulge details of his confidential discussions with Trump because certain communications are "vital to a president's ability to discharge the responsibilities of his office."

 

Republicans blasted Democrats for hanging the possibility of a subpoena over Whitaker's head after he voluntarily agreed to appear.

 

Doug Collins, the most senior Republican on the Judiciary Committee, accused Democrats of "political theatre" and later said they had clearly "overplayed their hand" by threatening to subpoena a cooperating witness.

 

Trump, when asked on Thursday about the dispute between Nadler and Whitaker, said of Whitaker: "He's an outstanding person. I would say, if he did testify, he'd do very well. He's an outstanding person. A very, very fine man.”

 

(Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; additional reporting by Alexandra Alper; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Lisa Shumaker)

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-02-08

[riclag]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Trump, when asked on Thursday about the dispute between Nadler and Whitaker, said of Whitaker: "He's an outstanding person. I would say, if he did testify, he'd do very well. He's an outstanding person. A very, very fine man.”

He and Sessions served in the  Department of Justice! I truly appreciate the jobs they participated in ! Especially Mr. Witaker taking over as acting AG. MAGA

[Boon Mee]

Finally someone standing up to the Mueller Witch Hunt that never ends. 

[kamahele]

20 minutes ago, Boon Mee said:

Finally someone standing up to the Mueller Witch Hunt that never ends. 

Um, this doesn't have anything to do with Mueller. Did you read the article? Or maybe this is sarcasm?

[Sir Swagman]

3 minutes ago, kamahele said:

Um, this doesn't have anything to do with Mueller. Did you read the article? Or maybe this is sarcasm?

I doubt this individual understands anything, let alone sarcasm. 

 

[Tug]

Sure are a lot of people have that trump derangement syndrome they beleave what he says lol I would love to see the temp attorney general go to jail for contempt of court lol

[Brickbat]

These clowns act guilty as hell. Hiding behind the Presidency. When they created the constitution, they had no idea there would ever be a rogue president. Whittaker is so obviously unqualified. Appears like a clerk of the courts. 

If America is great, the rotten apples will be exposed and removed.

one thing for sure, Debt will rear it’s ugly head again. And Donny will own that bear. 

[EddieBaBaBoBo]

1 hour ago, kamahele said:

Um, this doesn't have anything to do with Mueller. Did you read the article? Or maybe this is sarcasm?

 

Um, from the second paragraph:

 

"The Committee's Democrats want to question Whitaker about his oversight of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election..."

[Solinvictus]

3 hours ago, riclag said:

He and Sessions served in the  Department of Justice! I truly appreciate the jobs they participated in ! Especially Mr. Witaker taking over as acting AG. MAGA

I dont. He has been stomping on efforts for marijuana reform.

I also think it was spineless for an Attorney General to take himself out of the the whole investigation.  He could have been outspoken of how much of a 'witch hunt' the investigation truly is. Not only that, but there really is no 'collusion' with Trump. Rather, the investigation tries to catch former Trump associates/etc in perjury and other financial misdoings.

 

If I'm mistaken please comment.

[spidermike007]

6 hours ago, riclag said:

He and Sessions served in the  Department of Justice! I truly appreciate the jobs they participated in ! Especially Mr. Witaker taking over as acting AG. MAGA

 

Sort to disappoint you, but America is NEVER going to be great again. Just not going to happen. You can chant your Master's slogans all you want. As his devotees, you should realize the country is declining by the day. The US is becoming less and less relevant as time goes on. This trend was happening already, but Trump has greatly accelerated it, by withdrawing from major treaties, waging wars on inevitability of globalization, alienating our closest and most important allies, and creating the greatest sense of distrust in the US government, and the presidency, perhaps in the history of the nation, around the world.

 

It appears his legacy is going to be that of making Nixon look like a boy scout, a man of modest moral turpitude, and an able politician. 

 

As far as Whitaker and Sessions go, the former has done absolutely nothing yet to distinguish himself. Sessions was inept beyond imagination, but at least he stood up to the Deflector in Chief. I do admire him for that. Also, because Sessions recused himself, the authority fell to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who made the decision to appoint a special counsel and chose Robert Mueller for the job. Almost before Trump knew what was happening, he had a seasoned, professional, and apparently determined prosecutor on his tail, one who will be very difficult to remove (though that doesn't mean Trump won't try). When Trump appointed Sessions, he probably assumed he was getting an attorney general who was loyal to him and would protect him, which is clearly what he wanted. Instead, he got someone who has made himself unable to do so on the scandal that most threatens his presidency.

 

So, again I give Sessions some credit, for improving the republic! 

[lannarebirth]

5 hours ago, Brickbat said:

 

one thing for sure, Debt will rear it’s ugly head again. And Donny will own that bear. 

 

The presidency, whoever's it is, is merely a pimple on the ass of the debt cycle.

[Becker]

37 minutes ago, lannarebirth said:

 

The presidency, whoever's it is, is merely a pimple on the ass of the debt cycle.

But what a pimple it is. In fact. I would say the current one is the mother of all pimples.

[Jingthing]

Mr. Clean goes to congress. 

[joecoolfrog]

10 hours ago, Boon Mee said:

Finally someone standing up to the Mueller Witch Hunt that never ends. 

He is simply mouthing off , apeing his ringmaster , he will testify , the noose will get tighter , your trolling will get ever more ridiculous.

[joecoolfrog]

9 hours ago, Sir Swagman said:

I doubt this individual understands anything, let alone sarcasm. 

 

To be fair , his abode under the bridge does not have a reading light.

[Brickbat]

2 hours ago, Becker said:

But what a pimple it is. In fact. I would say the current one is the mother of all pimples.

 

5 minutes ago, joecoolfrog said:

To be fair , his abode under the bridge does not have a reading light.

This President Pimple is reeking a lot of pus

[Redline]

18 hours ago, Boon Mee said:

Finally someone standing up to the Mueller Witch Hunt that never ends. 

There are 17 investigations 

[bendejo]

11 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Mr. Clean goes to congress. 

You are being kind.  I think he looks like a hemorrhoid.

 

Witch hunt?  It's more like pest control.

 

Actually I put some blame on the Senate Dems.  When Kavanaugh cried about bias and unfair treatment, and Miz Lindsey threw his "how dare you treat this boy like this!" tantrum the Dems immediately backed down.  This has emboldened the whole rogue's gallery to pull these attitudes.  The only way to get rid of bullies is to stand up to them.  The Dems have to stop being such candyasses.

 

But can these people possibly behave any more like they have something to hide?  The DT ascension has emboldened all sorts of grifters from across the US, check out the backstory on Maria Butina's boyfriend. 

 

 

[mania]

19 hours ago, Boon Mee said:

Finally someone standing up to the Mueller Witch Hunt that never ends. 

Having just watched it here in the USA I have to agree it was just another bunch of wasted tax dollars/nothing.

 

[howbri]

20 hours ago, Brickbat said:

These clowns act guilty as hell. Hiding behind the Presidency. When they created the constitution, they had no idea there would ever be a rogue president. Whittaker is so obviously unqualified. Appears like a clerk of the courts. 

If America is great, the rotten apples will be exposed and removed.

one thing for sure, Debt will rear it’s ugly head again. And Donny will own that bear. 

Don't get out much huh? Other than to listen to the fake news.

[howbri]

2 hours ago, bendejo said:

You are being kind.  I think he looks like a hemorrhoid.

 

Witch hunt?  It's more like pest control.

 

Actually I put some blame on the Senate Dems.  When Kavanaugh cried about bias and unfair treatment, and Miz Lindsey threw his "how dare you treat this boy like this!" tantrum the Dems immediately backed down.  This has emboldened the whole rogue's gallery to pull these attitudes.  The only way to get rid of bullies is to stand up to them.  The Dems have to stop being such candyasses.

 

But can these people possibly behave any more like they have something to hide?  The DT ascension has emboldened all sorts of grifters from across the US, check out the backstory on Maria Butina's boyfriend. 

 

 

Methinks you have bully roles reversed. It's the dimms who are trying to bully anything Trump, simply because he won.