6/6/2019

ATTORNEY GENERAL/COURTS/DEMS/HOUSE OF REPS/TRUMP PEOPLE: “After weeks of pledging to hold Attorney General William P. Barr and the former White House counsel Donald F. McGahn II in contempt for defying subpoenas, House Democrats appear poised to pursue an alternative path to try to force them into sharing information. A resolution that the House Rules Committee unveiled on Thursday [6-6-19] would authorize the House to petition a federal court to enforce its requests for information and testimony related to the report of the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, but without mentioning contempt. The committee is expected to consider the proposal on Monday, followed by a full House vote on Tuesday [6-4-19]. The resolution appears to be something of a tactical reversal by Democrats, who did not immediately explain their decision. The Judiciary Committee approved a report last month that formally recommended the House hold Mr. Barr in contempt, and lawmakers continue to use that language to describe next week’s vote.”

Nicholas Fandos, “House Plans Vote to Fight Barr in Court but Back Off Contempt,” The New York Times online, June 6, 2019