Justice Department warns Democrats ahead of Barr contempt vote

In a letter sent to House Judiciary Committee Chair Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) on Tuesday, the Department of Justice warned the panel against going through with a planned vote to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt.

The committee requested Barr send over an unredacted version of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report by Monday, but that deadline came and went without a delivery. Barr was also supposed to testify before the committee last week, but skipped out on the hearing. Nadler on Monday said Congress has "no choice but to initiate contempt proceedings," with the vote set for Wednesday.

The Justice Department said in its letter that should Democrats hold Barr in contempt, the attorney general will request that President Trump "invoke executive privilege with respect to the materials subject to subpoena."

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