Rep. Jackie Speier said that by invoking executive privilege over the full version of the Mueller’s report and blocking members of his administration from testifying to Congress President Trump has “in many respects, become a dictator.”
“The Congress has the right to access the underlying documents of the Mueller report,” the California Democrat told CNN on Wednesday. There is no question about that. I can’t imagine a court ruling otherwise, but they are throwing every obstacle in our way because the president has in many respects become a dictator.
“He is trying to prevent Congress from doing its oversight function and we won’t accept that. If necessary, we can do what’s called inherent contempt which means we can call on the sergeant of arms to bring in [Attorney General William] Barr and have him appear before the full House and then either he testifies or he is fined,” she said.
Speier was then asked if Congress should resort to such drastic measures.
“Well, I am one of those that believes that we’re not get the respect that we deserve, as a co-equal branch of government, until we act a little more aggressively in asserting our authority, which we have to access these documents. We have a right to know what the underlying documents have. We have a right to be able to access the tax returns of the president to determine whether or not his engagement with foreign countries is in part why he will not touch Putin and why he is willing to cozy up to him.”
Speier made her comments hours before the House Judiciary Committee voted along party lines to find Barr in contempt for refusing to hand over the unredacted version of the Mueller report. The vote to hold Barr in contempt is due to go to the House floor.
[Also read: Amy Klobuchar refuses to say if AG Barr should be held in contempt]
