The Department of Justice on Friday dismissed the subpoena issued by House Democrats for a less-redacted version of the Mueller report, saying that it wasn’t necessary.
“Congressman Nadler’s subpoena is premature and unnecessary,” Justice Department spokeswoman Kerri Kupec said in a statement, referring to the chairman of the House Judiciary panel, Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y. “The Department will continue to work with Congress to accommodate its legitimate requests consistent with the law and long-recognized executive branch interests.”
Kupec noted that special counsel Robert Mueller’s report was released Thursday with what she called “only minimal redactions, ” and that arrangements are in place for Nadler and other select members of Congress to view a version with fewer redactions.
The Justice Department’s response ratchets up tensions between the department and congressional Democrats on the same day Nadler issued a subpoena for all of Mueller’s findings.
Earlier Friday afternoon, congressional Democrats rejected Attorney General William Barr’s invitation for viewing a fuller version of Mueller’s conclusions on DOJ premises, saying that the terms were too restrictive.
House Judiciary ranking member Doug Collins, R-Ga., piled on, criticized the Democrats Friday for “grandstanding.”
“This is ridiculous,” Collins wrote in a pair of tweets. “AG Barr gives Democrats unprecedented accommodations, and they refuse them hours after Chairman Nadler subpoenas those same answers. They’ve had 30 hours with the #MuellerReport and realize the more information they actually get, the more bitter it tastes.”
The Justice Department has until May 1 to comply with Nadler’s request regarding the Mueller report.
