WASHINGTON (CN) - Pressuring the Justice Department to release Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report and underlying evidence from the Russia probe, the House Judiciary Committee gave its chairman subpoena authorization Wednesday.
The party-line vote this morning does not immediately issue the subpoenas but authorizes committee Chairman Jerry Nadler to do so when he sees fit. In addition to Mueller's full report, the resolution authorizes subpoenas for "underlying evidence collected, materials prepared, or documents used" in the nearly two-year probe of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and potential obstruction of justice by President Donald Trump.
Speaking to reporters after the vote, Nadler said he plans to continue negotiations with Attorney General William Barr but will issue a subpoena "in very short order" if Barr is not willing to give Congress the full report and its underlying evidence.
The New York Democrat would not offer a specific deadline by which he would issue the subpoenas if his negotiations with Barr are not successful.
Nadler also said he hopes Barr will be willing to go to court to secure the release of grand jury information from the investigation. When it comes to redactions to the Mueller report before it is sent to Congress, Nadler said he would not be willing to strike a middle ground with Barr.
"Obviously some material will have to be redacted before it's released to the public to protect privacy, to protect the various rights, but the committee is entitled and must see all the material and make judgments as to what can be redacted for the public release by ourselves," Nadler told reporters.
Nadler would also be able to issue subpoenas to five former members of the Trump White House, including former White House counsel Don McGahn; his chief of staff, Ann Donaldson; and former White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus.
Top Democrats in the House had pressed the Justice Department to deliver Mueller's full report by April 2, but Barr said he would turn over a redacted version by the middle of the month.
Mueller wrapped up his investigation on March 22, and Barr delivered a 4-page summary two days later, telling members of Congress that Mueller found no evidence Trump or anyone in his campaign conspired with Russia in the country's efforts to tilt the election in Trump's favor.
Barr also said Mueller did not reach a conclusion on whether Trump obstructed justice with respect to the investigation. To determine Trump was clear of that charge as well, Barr instead consulted with others at the Justice Department.
Not confident in Barr's summary, Democrats have demanded the total release of the report and the evidence on which its findings rest. Speaking before the vote Wednesday, Nadler said there is "reason to suspect" the justification behind the Justice Department insistence on redacting parts of the report and said the committee will go to court to get the information if necessary.
"The Constitution charges Congress with holding the president accountable for alleged official misconduct," Nadler said. "That job requires us to evaluate the evidence for ourselves, not the attorney general's summary, not a substantially redacted synopsis, but the full report and the underlying evidence."
But Representative Doug Collins, the top Republican on the committee, likened Democrats to fishermen who trade their empty fish hooks for dynamite in the hopes of salvaging an unsuccessful fishing trip.
"This is reckless, it's irresponsible and it's disingenuous," Collins said.
Collins said if Democrats want more information about the president, they could always open up impeachment proceedings against him.
Democrats shot down an amendment from Republicans to clarify that the subpoenas authorized Wednesday are not to be used to reveal grand jury information that is kept secret under the federal rules of criminal procedure.
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