Attorney General Bill Barr has agreed to testify before the House Judiciary Committee rather than risk a likely subpoena and court fight. His testimony will not be until July 28, nearly five weeks from today.
Barr’s spokesperson made the announcement, framing it as a casual appearance.
Barr is facing growing calls for his impeachment or for him to resign over what many – including two DOJ whistleblowers testifying before the House Wednesday – are calling his extreme politicization of the Justice Dept.
This will be the first time Barr has appeared before Congress to testify in more than a year. Barr was supposed to appear before the House on March 31 but did not. On June 1 he told House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler that “he would not appear at a hearing that the committee wanted to hold on June 9,” Roll Call reported.
Barr testified before the Senate on May 1 of last year. Also last year Barr testified before a House Appropriations subcommittee on April 9 and a Senate Appropriations subcommittee on April 10.