Attorney general skips House hearing

WASHINGTON—Attorney General William Barr did not attend a scheduled appearance before the House Judiciary Committee on Thursday to answer questions about special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigative report into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Barr objected to a plan for the committee’s staff lawyers to conduct a round of questioning, saying he would only answer questions from lawmakers directly.

Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., held a brief “empty witness chair” hearing, giving Barr a chance to attend. Nadler may move for a vote to hold Barr in contempt of Congress. The ranking Republican on the panel, Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia, criticized Nadler for refusing to change the format of the meeting, saying, “Chairman Nadler sabotaged his own hearing.”

Barr attended a combative hearing Wednesday before the Senate Judiciary Committee in which Democrats accused him of protecting President Donald Trump by declaring there was not enough evidence that the president had obstructed Mueller’s investigation. In his report, Mueller declined to conclude one way or the other whether Trump should be charged with obstruction of justice. Barr defended his decision, saying, “I didn’t exonerate. I said that we did not believe there was sufficient evidence to establish an obstruction offense, which is the job of the Justice Department.”

Democrats also hope to hear from Mueller himself and have asked the special counsel to testify at a hearing on May 15.