Dems to initiate contempt proceedings against AG Barr over Mueller report

US Democrats said Monday they will launch contempt proceedings Wednesday against Attorney General Bill Barr for failing to meet a deadline to provide the full, unredacted special counsel's report on Russian election interference. "The attorney general's failure to comply with our subpoena, after extensive accommodation efforts, leaves us no choice but to initiate contempt proceedings in order to enforce the subpoena and access the full, unredacted report," House Judiciary Committee chairman Jerry Nadler said in a statement, after the Justice Department missed a 9:00 am (1300 GMT) deadline.

Barr had declared Trump fully cleared of conspiracy with Russia and obstruction of justice shortly after special counsel Robert Mueller presented his report to the Justice Department, but Democrats have protested that Barr has refused to present the full report or underlying evidence to Congress.