WATCH: Matt Gaetz clashes with Jerry Nadler after getting cut off during FBI oversight hearing

Raw Story Logo

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) briefly clashed with Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) after being cut off at a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Thursday.

The Florida Republican questioned FBI director Christopher Wray over claims made by Chinese virologist Li Meng Yan, who has told Fox News she believes that COVID-19 was developed in a laboratory and intentionally released, and Gaetz asked him to confirm whether the bureau was investigating those allegations.

“I’m not sure there is much I can say about specific investigations,” Wray said. “I will say couple of things. One, I have been very vocal and continue to be vocal about the counterintelligence threat that takes forms,- a variety of forms, from the Chinese Communist Party. I think it is one of the most important threats.” Continue reading.

Scoop: House Judiciary prepares to subpoena Attorney General Bill Barr

Axios logoHouse Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) is preparing to subpoena Attorney General Bill Barr for his testimony on July 2, a committee spokesperson confirmed to Axios.

Why it matters: The expected subpoena comes after the firing of Geoffrey Berman, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York who had been investigating President Trump’s personal attorney Rudy Giuliani.

  • The committee’s ranking member Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) made reference to the subpoena plans in a letter obtained by Axios.
  • Daniel Schwarz, a spokesman for Nadler, confirmed to Axios that the committee is seeking Barr’s testimony and intends to subpoena him if he does not agree to testify next week.
  • “There’s certain procedural steps that need to be taken if you were going to send a subpoena, but one of them is consulting the minority,” Schwarz said.

Continue reading.

Nadler: House Judiciary Committee will open investigation into Berman firing

The Hill logoHouse Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) announced Saturday that the committee will immediately open an investigation into the Trump administration’s decision to fire Manhattan U.S. attorney Geoff Berman. 

“The House Judiciary Committee will immediately open an investigation into this incident, as part of our broader investigation into Barr’s unacceptable politicization of the Department of Justice,” Nadler said in a statement.

“On Wednesday, the Committee will hear from two whistleblowers who will explain why Barr’s attempt to fire Mr. Berman is part of a larger, ongoing, and wholly unacceptable pattern of conduct. If the President removes Mr. Berman, then we will take additional steps to secure his testimony as well.” Continue reading.

Nadler seeks to punish Barr for not testifying

Judiciary chairman threatens to slash attorney general’s office budget

The House Judiciary Committee squared off against Attorney General William Barr on Tuesday to counter what Democrats say is continued defiance of Congress for refusing to testify at a Justice Department oversight hearing.

Chairman Jerrold Nadler announced that he would introduce legislation this week to slash the budget of the attorney general’s personal office by $50 million — a proposal unlikely to pass the Republican-controlled Senate or get President Donald Trump’s signature to become law.

But the New York Democrat said the committee also will hear testimony from DOJ whistleblowers and former department officials who can “describe specific incidents of misconduct, as well as the unprecedented politicization” of the Justice Department during the Trump administration. Continue reading.

House Judiciary Goes After AG Barr Over Back Channel For Giuliani To Give Info On Ukraine

Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) wrote a letter to the attorney general demanding answers about the DOJ’s new “intake process” to vet tips from Rudy Giuliani.

The House Judiciary Committee sent a letter to Attorney General William Barr on Monday demanding answers regarding the Justice Department’s new so-called “intake process” to receive information from Rudy Giuliani about Ukraine and the Bidens.

Rep. Jerry Nadler’s (D-N.Y.) letter comes hours after Barr admitted that the department would evaluate material that Giuliani, President Donald Trump’s personal attorney, had collected from Ukrainian sources claiming to have damaging information about 2020 candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden.

Giuliani’s gathering of such information was a huge part of Trump’s attempt to get Ukraine to announce an investigation into the Bidens ahead of the 2020 U.S. presidential election, which led to the president’s impeachment (and eventual acquittal). Much of what the former New York City mayor has said to media outlets so far has consisted of conspiracy theories and misinformation. Continue reading.

Rep. Jerry Nadler Says House Will Likely Subpoena John Bolton

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., says the House expects to continue its investigations into President Trump’s conduct, even after Wednesday’s expected acquittal of Trump in the Senate impeachment trial.

Speaking with reporters, Nadler says the House “will likely” subpoena former national security adviser John Bolton. Bolton had said he would comply with a Senate subpoena during the impeachment trial, but the Senate voted against calling witnesses. According to published reports, Bolton, in a book manuscript, describes being told by the president that he was withholding aid to Ukraine until the Ukrainian government began an investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter.

Nadler did not have a timeline for when Bolton would be subpoenaed but noted that a subpoena could come from the Judiciary or other investigative committees. Continue reading.

Nadler: Trump showed ‘pattern’ that poses ‘danger’ to elections

The House Judiciary chairman says Trump acted against his country’s interests.

House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) said Sunday that President Donald Trump has shown “a pattern” of seeking foreign interference in U.S. elections but stopped short of saying that obstruction charges would be included in articles of impeachment.

“The central allegation is that the president put himself above his country several times, that he sought foreign interference in our elections several times, both for 2016 and 2020,” Nadler said on “State of the Union“ on CNN. “All this presents a pattern that poses a real and present danger to the integrity of the next election.”

Pressed by host Dana Bash on whether charges related to 2016 would be included in articles of impeachment, Nadler demurred.

Continue reading

Nadler hints Trump impeachment inquiry could expand beyond Ukraine

House Judiciary’s first impeachment hearing punctuated by partisan bickering

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler on Wednesday raised the possibility that the impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump could be expanded beyond its current narrow scope of a July 25 phone call between Trump and the Ukrainian president.

In his opening remarks at his panel’s first impeachment hearing, the New York Democrat invoked former Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

“The Russian government engaged in a sweeping and systematic campaign of interference in our elections. In the words of Special Counsel Robert Mueller, ‘the Russian government perceived it would benefit from a Trump presidency and worked to secure that outcome,’” Nadler said. “The president welcomed that interference.”

Continue reading

Nadler tees up post-recess showdown with Trump

The Hill logoHouse Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler is teeing up a post-recess showdown with President Trump as the New York Democrat pushes for impeachment behind the scenes.

Nadler has fired off a wave of new subpoenas compelling former administration and Trump campaign officials to testify shortly after the House returns to Capitol Hill in September.

He’s also seeking to challenge the White House’s claims of executive privilege as he pursues witness testimony from former White House counsel Don McGahn.

View the complete August 28 article by Olivia Beavers on The Hill website here.

Nadler: Hope Hicks testimony is huge gift in legal battle with Trump

House Democrats are planning to file a lawsuit within days to force former White House counsel Don McGahn to testify on Capitol Hill — and they say Hope Hicks’ reluctant testimony Wednesday will help deliver them a crucial win in court.

Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler said Hicks’ blanket refusal to tell lawmakers about her tenure in the West Wing is the real-life illustration Democrats needed to show a judge just how extreme the White House’s blockade on witness testimony has become.

“It very much played into our hands,” Nadler said in an interview in his Capitol Hill office Thursday. “It’s one thing to tell a judge blanket immunity is not a right thing. It’s another thing when a judge can see what that means in actuality, and how absurd it is.”

View the complete June 21 article by Andrew Desiderio and Kyle Cheney on the Politico website here.