Barr faces contempt vote

WASHINGTON—The House Judiciary Committee will vote Wednesday on whether to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress for not releasing special counsel Robert Mueller’s full, unredacted investigative report and underlying evidence. The Justice Department and Judiciary Committee staff plan to meet Tuesday to try to find a “mutually acceptable” solution.

Barr missed a Monday deadline to hand over an unredacted version of the report. He previously sent a version with only grand jury testimony redacted for senior lawmakers to read. Democrats refused to review the document, arguing that other lawmakers should have access to the report and that it should contain no redactions.

Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., issued the formal contempt notice Monday. Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia, the ranking Republican on the panel, criticized the move, arguing Democrats had launched a “war” against Barr for following the law by refusing to release grand jury material. “Instead of introducing legislation allowing the attorney general to provide Congress grand jury material, Democrats move to hold him in contempt,” he tweeted.

Barr also missed an appearance before the House Judiciary Committee on Thursday, following a contentious, five-hour Senate hearing the day before. The attorney general objected to plans to have committee lawyers question him instead of lawmakers.