Trump Asserts Executive Privilege Over Full Mueller Reportsserts Executive Privilege Over Full Mueller Report

Source: N.Y Times

May 8, 2019 at 12:24

House Democrats moved to hold a contempt vote against Attorney General William P. Barr, who has not released the fuller Mueller report.CreditCreditErin Schaff/The New York Times

By asserting executive privilege, the White House is denying Congress access to the evidence gathered during Mueller's investigation. The House Judiciary Committee has issued subpoenas for the materials.

WASHINGTON — President Trump asserted executive privilege on Wednesday in an effort to shield hidden portions of Robert S. Mueller III’s unredacted report and the evidence he collected from Congress.

The assertion, Mr. Trump’s first use of the secrecy powers as president, came as the House Judiciary Committee is expected to vote Wednesday morning to recommend the House of Representatives hold Attorney General William P. Barr in contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena for the same material.

“This is to advise you that the president has asserted executive privilege over the entirety of the subpoenaed materials,” a Justice Department official, Stephen E. Boyd, wrote Wednesday morning, referencing not only the Mueller report but the underlying evidence that House Democrats are seeking.

Mr. Barr released a redacted version of the special counsel’s 448-page report voluntarily last month. But Democrats say that is not good enough, and they have accused the attorney general of stonewalling a legitimate request for material they need to carry out an investigation into possible obstruction of justice and abuse of power by Mr. Trump.

“This is not a step we take lightly,” Representative Jerrold Nadler, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said before an expected vote to hold Attorney General William P. Barr in contempt of Congress.CreditCreditErin Schaff/The New York Times.

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