House Panel Votes Contempt For Attorney General William Barr And Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross

(USA Today) Bart Jansen June 12 2019 8:01 p.m. WASHINGTON A House panel voted Wednesday to hold two members of President Trumps Cabinet in contempt for defying subpoenas for census documents further escalating multiple fights between Congress and the administration. The Oversight and Reform Committee found Attorney General William Barr and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross in contempt on a bipartisan 24-15 vote for defying subpoenas for documents about why a citizenship question was added to the 2020 census. The Judiciary Committee had already found Barr in contempt for defying a subpoena for the full report from special counsel Robert Mueller. Kerri Kupec a Justice Department spokeswoman said the committees vote undermined the Democratic-led committees credibility with the American people. The committees attempt to define the Department of Justices good-faith cooperation as contempt defies logic Kupec said. Despite the committees political games the department will remain focused on its critical work safeguarding the American people and upholding the rule of law." Ross in a statement accused the committee of flagrant political posturing. This is a disappointing day for Congress and our country he said. President Trump asserted executive privilege Wednesday to keep secret documents about the citizenship question secret. Assistant Attorney General Stephen Boyd said in a letter Wednesday that Trump was asserting executive privilege to prevent the release of key documents including a Dec. 12 2017 letter to the U.S. Census Bureau. Trump also protectively asserted executive privilege over the rest of the subpoenaed documents while officials determine whether they should be kept secret Boyd said. It appears to be another example of the administrations blanket defiance" said Oversight Chairman Elijah Cummings D-Md. who noted the bipartisan subpoenas were issued more than two months ago. This begs the question: what is being hidden?" But Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio the top Republican on the committee said Democrats were moving urgently on the contempt vote in an attempt to influence the Supreme Court which is considering a case dealing with the census question.