U.S. House blame Democrats over motivating political attacks

The U.S. Justice Department on Wednesday accused Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee of engaging in politically motivated attacks, after the panel voted along party lines to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt for refusing to hand over an unredacted copy of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report.

"It is deeply disappointing that elected representatives of the American people have chosen to engage in such inappropriate political theatrics," Justice Department spokeswoman Kerri Kupec said in a statement, adding that no one "will force the Department of Justice to break the law" by handing over documents that cannot be disclosed, such as secret grand jury materials.