DPCC Chair Cicilline and DPCC Co-Chair Lieu Respond to Attorney General Barr’s Refusal to Testify
WASHINGTON, DC – DPCC Chair Cicilline and Co-Chair Lieu spoke at a press conference to discuss Attorney General Barr's refusal to testify before the House Judiciary Committee. Cicilline and Lieu both emphasized that Democrats will continue to fulfill their constitutionally mandated oversight responsibilities while fighting For the People to lower health care costs, increase pay and clean up corruption. Below are excerpts from the interview and links to the videos.
DPCC Chair Cicilline: "I think we all believe very strongly that the next step is to begin proceedings to hold the Attorney General in contempt for the failure to comply with the subpoena yesterday. I think that we are all pressing our chairman to do that, as he has been. He is attempting to negotiate in good faith to see if the Attorney General will do it voluntarily, but in the absence of an agreement there, it is our position that the Attorney General is in contempt of Congress, that we have a responsibility to compel his compliance with a lawfully issued subpoena because as I said earlier, if the executive branch can willfully violate lawfully issued subpoenas, they will have successfully eliminated Congressional oversight. It cannot be up to the executive branch to decide what witnesses and evidence that we will collect in our constitutionally mandated oversight responsibilities. So the next step will be an effort to begin proceedings to hold the Attorney General in contempt if in fact this negotiation or conversation doesn't result in an agreement." Click here to watch the video.
DPCC Co-Chair Lieu: "Bill Barr is now one of the most dangerous men in Washington, DC for three reasons. First, he intentionally mischaracterized the Mueller Report. He was then told by Robert Mueller that he mischaracterized the Mueller Report and instead of apologizing, he doubles down and continues to mislead the American people. Second, today he ignored the will of Congress oversight responsibilities of Congress and lawfully issued subpoenas. And third, right now he is suing to eliminate your health care coverage. Let's not forget, right now he is suing in court to eliminate pre-existing conditions health care coverage and taking health care coverage away from millions of Americans. We in Congress will rein him in, we will hold him accountable." Click here to watch the video