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Attorney General William Barr listens as U.S. President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office before signing an executive order on May 28, 2020 in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Doug MIlls-Pool/Getty Images)
Barr Agrees to Testify on Politicization of DOJ as Judiciary Chairman Slams Attorney General as Trump's "Fixer"
A Justice Department spokesperson said the attorney general will testify before the House Judiciary Committee on July 28.
Jun 24, 2020
Attorney General William Barr agreed on Wednesday to testify before the House Judiciary Committee in July as the panel continues to investigate whether the U.S. Department of Justice has been politicized under the Trump administration.
Days after committee chairman Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) said he would soon issue a subpoena to Barr, a spokesperson for the DOJ said Barr would accept an invitation to testify on July 28.
The announcement came as a career prosecutor at the DOJ, Aaron Zelinsky, testified about the special treatment afforded to President Donald Trump's associate, Roger Stone, before his sentencing for obstructing the House investigation into the 2016 Trump campaign's coordination with Russia.
Barr declined to testify about Robert Mueller's report on the 2016 campaign, and has been strongly rebuked in recent days after he moved to dismiss Geoffrey Berman, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. Berman had investigated Deutsche Bank, the president's longtime creditor, as well as former New York Mayor and Trump associate Rudy Guiliani.
When opening Wednesday's Judiciary Committee hearing featuring Zelinski's testimony, Nadler referred to Barr as the president's "fixer."
Journalist Marcy Wheeler noted that while Barr has agreed to testify, the attorney general has backed out of planned appearances before lawmakers before.
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Attorney General William Barr agreed on Wednesday to testify before the House Judiciary Committee in July as the panel continues to investigate whether the U.S. Department of Justice has been politicized under the Trump administration.
Days after committee chairman Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) said he would soon issue a subpoena to Barr, a spokesperson for the DOJ said Barr would accept an invitation to testify on July 28.
The announcement came as a career prosecutor at the DOJ, Aaron Zelinsky, testified about the special treatment afforded to President Donald Trump's associate, Roger Stone, before his sentencing for obstructing the House investigation into the 2016 Trump campaign's coordination with Russia.
Barr declined to testify about Robert Mueller's report on the 2016 campaign, and has been strongly rebuked in recent days after he moved to dismiss Geoffrey Berman, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. Berman had investigated Deutsche Bank, the president's longtime creditor, as well as former New York Mayor and Trump associate Rudy Guiliani.
When opening Wednesday's Judiciary Committee hearing featuring Zelinski's testimony, Nadler referred to Barr as the president's "fixer."
Journalist Marcy Wheeler noted that while Barr has agreed to testify, the attorney general has backed out of planned appearances before lawmakers before.
Attorney General William Barr agreed on Wednesday to testify before the House Judiciary Committee in July as the panel continues to investigate whether the U.S. Department of Justice has been politicized under the Trump administration.
Days after committee chairman Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) said he would soon issue a subpoena to Barr, a spokesperson for the DOJ said Barr would accept an invitation to testify on July 28.
The announcement came as a career prosecutor at the DOJ, Aaron Zelinsky, testified about the special treatment afforded to President Donald Trump's associate, Roger Stone, before his sentencing for obstructing the House investigation into the 2016 Trump campaign's coordination with Russia.
Barr declined to testify about Robert Mueller's report on the 2016 campaign, and has been strongly rebuked in recent days after he moved to dismiss Geoffrey Berman, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. Berman had investigated Deutsche Bank, the president's longtime creditor, as well as former New York Mayor and Trump associate Rudy Guiliani.
When opening Wednesday's Judiciary Committee hearing featuring Zelinski's testimony, Nadler referred to Barr as the president's "fixer."
Journalist Marcy Wheeler noted that while Barr has agreed to testify, the attorney general has backed out of planned appearances before lawmakers before.
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