WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has invoked executive privilege over the full, unredacted version of the Mueller report.
- Trump invokes executive privilege over unredacted Mueller report
- Move allows withholding information to keep decision-making confidential
- House Judiciary Committee also voted to hold AG Barr in contempt
The Justice Department on Wednesday notified the House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler that the president "has asserted executive privilege over the entirety of the subpoenaed materials."
According to a letter sent from Attorney General William Barr to Trump dated Wednesday, the attorney general asked the president to "make a protective assertion of executive privilege with respect to Department of Justice documents recently subpoenaed" by the Judiciary Committee of the Democratic-controlled House.
When executive privilege is invoked, that means the president is using his power to withhold information to protect the confidentiality of the president's decision-making process.
In a released statement, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said, "Chairman Nadler's blatant abuse of power, and at the Attorney General's request, the President has no other option than to make a protective assertion of executive privilege."
Meanwhile, the committee voted to hold Barr in contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with its subpoena.
When someone is held in contempt of Congress, the move can be used to punish the person or make them comply. This can be done through a federal court's civil ruling, or Congress can pursue criminal prosecution through the executive branch.
The House and White House are at odds over the release of the full, unredacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller's report detailing the findings of his investigation into possible Russian interference into the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Barr released a redacted version, but Democrats want the full report released.
Information from the Associated Press and CNN were used in this report.