Democrats expected to grill Barr on the Mueller report at appropriations hearing
Attorney General William Barr is likely to face some tough questions about Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report on Capitol Hill on Tuesday.
Barr is set to testify before the House Appropriations Committee, with the scheduled hearing meant to focus on the Justice Department's budget, not the Mueller report. Still, Democrats are expected to grill Barr during the hearing on his handling of the report, per Politico, with Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.) planning to tear into Barr's handling of the investigation as "unacceptable" in her opening statement. Democratic aides told CNN no topics will be off limits during the hearing.
Barr last month released a four-page summary of the Mueller report, which said that Mueller did not establish a criminal conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia, and did not make a determination on obstruction of justice. Several recent news reports have suggested some members of the Mueller team are unhappy with Barr's summary, feeling their findings were more damaging than he made them sound.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee have provided members of the House Appropriations Committee a list of suggested questions to ask Barr, per The Washington Post. It's not clear whether Barr will actually answer these questions, and his opening statement does not mention the Mueller report at all, CNN notes. Barr previously told Congress that a version of the report, which he is in the process of redacting, would be released by mid-April, but Democrats have demanded the full, unredacted version.
Barr's testimony is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
‘Capitalism: A Global History’ by Sven Beckert and ‘American Canto’ by Olivia NuzziFeature A consummate history of capitalism and a memoir from the journalist who fell in love with RFK Jr.
-
Who will the new limits on student loans affect?The Explainer The Trump administration is imposing new limits for federal student loans starting on July 1, 2026
-
Why does Susie Wiles have MAGA-land in a panic?TODAY’S BIG QUESTION Trump’s all-powerful gatekeeper is at the center of a MAGA firestorm that could shift the trajectory of the administration
-
Hegseth rejects release of full boat strike footageSpeed Read There are calls to release video of the military killing two survivors of a Sept. 2 missile strike on an alleged drug trafficking boat
-
Trump vows naval blockade of most Venezuelan oilSpeed Read The announcement further escalates pressure on President Nicolás Maduro
-
Kushner drops Trump hotel project in SerbiaSpeed Read Affinity Partners pulled out of a deal to finance a Trump-branded development in Belgrade
-
Senate votes down ACA subsidies, GOP alternativeSpeed Read The Senate rejected the extension of Affordable Care Act tax credits, guaranteeing a steep rise in health care costs for millions of Americans
-
Abrego García freed from jail on judge’s orderSpeed Read The wrongfully deported man has been released from an ICE detention center
-
Indiana Senate rejects Trump’s gerrymander pushSpeed Read The proposed gerrymander would have likely flipped the state’s two Democratic-held US House seats
-
Democrat files to impeach RFK Jr.Speed Read Rep. Haley Stevens filed articles of impeachment against Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
-
$1M ‘Trump Gold Card’ goes live amid travel rule furorSpeed Read The new gold card visa offers an expedited path to citizenship in exchange for $1 million
