House of Representatives Votes to Proceed with Federal Prosecution Against Attorney General Barr and former White House Counsel Don McGahn

Yesterday, June 11, 2019 the United States House of Representatives voted to enforce subpoenas for Attorney General William Barr and former White House Counsel Don McGahn, giving the House power to “initiate… judicial proceeding[s] before a Federal court” if the Attorney General or McGahn do not comply with the subpoenas (1). The vote also allows for the House to obtain “information regarding any matters identified in or relating to the subpoenas… including Rule 6(e)(3)(E) (providing that the court may authorize disclosure of a grand-jury matter “preliminarily to… a judicial proceeding”)”. Information relating to the aforementioned Rule 6(e) will allow the House to obtain previously redacted text from the Mueller Report, which had been redacted due to containing “grand-jury information” (2). Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said it was members of Congress’ “oath of office” to vote in favor “to hold Attorney General of the United States Barr and former White House Counsel McGahn in civil contempt for their refusal to comply with Congress’ subpoenas” (3). Representative Maxine Waters said the measure “is key to ensuring that Congress is able to efficiently exercise its constitutional responsibilities… and that [Congress] need[s] to fulfill [its] legislative and oversight responsibilities” (3). The vote passed 229-191, with 13 abstaining, indicating a party-line vote (3).

1. https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-resolution/430/text?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22chamberActionDateCode%3A%5C%222019-06-11%7C116%7C8000%5C%22+AND+billIsReserved%3A%5C%22N%5C%22%22%5D%7D&r=2&s=1
2. https://www.newtrals.com/news/the-house-judiciary-committee-votes-to-hold-attorney-general-william-barr-in-contempt-of-congress/
3. https://www.congress.gov/congressional-record/2019/06/11/house-section/article/H4411-3