The House Judiciary Committee voted along party lines Wednesday to allow for an hour of extra questioning of Attorney General Bill Barr split between staff lawyers from either side of the aisle — a format the Justice Department has protested.
Axios first reported on Wednesday’s committee vote on Thursday’s hearing format.
The inclusion of staff lawyers to question Barr has rankled the Justice Department.
“Our position is the attorney general agreed to appear before Congress,” a Justice Department official told The Washington Post and CNN on Sunday. “Therefore, members are the ones who do the questioning.”
Nadler wasn’t having it. He threatened to subpoena the attorney general to appear if Barr doesn’t show up and cooperate with the hearing format.
A notice for Wednesday’s format vote said the additional time could be used by “either Members or Committee staff.”
