Panel to get ‘key’ Mueller info from AG

Attorney General William Barr has agreed to release some of the redacted portions of Robert Mueller’s report along with “key” underlying evidence the special counsel used to assess whether President Trump obstructed justice, House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler said Monday.

Nadler (D-N.Y.) said he’s indefinitely putting off a committee vote on holding Barr in criminal contempt in light of the AG’s decision to finally comply with his sweeping April 19 subpoena demanding unfettered access to the special counsel’s findings on obstruction.

The chairman said he expects the Justice Department to hand over some of Mueller’s “most important files” as early as this afternoon.

“These documents will allow us to perform our constitutional duties and decide how to respond to the allegations laid out against the president by the special counsel,” Nadler (photo) said in a statement. “Given our conversations with the department, I will hold the criminal contempt process in abeyance for now.”

However, Nadler said there are no plans to call off a Tuesday vote in the full House on giving the Judiciary Committee authority to take civil action against the Justice Department if necessary.

“If the department proceeds in good faith and we are able to obtain everything that we need, then there will be no need to take further steps,” Nadler said. “If important information is held back, then we will have no choice but to enforce our subpoena in court and consider other remedies.”

Nadler said all members on his committee will be able to review the Mueller materials.

A Justice Department spokeswoman did not return a request for comment.

A Judiciary Committee aide said the deal struck with the Justice Department includes access to the underlying evidence Mueller used to write his 448page report, likely including transcripts from the various interviews his team of investigators conducted.