Agreement reached to turn over Mueller documents, Adam Schiff says
Officials from the House Intelligence Committee and Department of Justice have reached a formal agreement to turn over documents relating to special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation. Committee Chair Rep. Adam Schiff released a statement early Wednesday announcing that the Justice Department had accepted the committee's offer as a "first step towards compliance with our subpoena."
The Justice Department on Tuesday had offered to give the committee access to a less-redacted version of Mueller's report and eventually some documents related to the investigation if Democrats dropped its threat to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress. The House Judiciary Committee has already voted to hold Barr in contempt for not complying with that panel's subpoenas for the Mueller report.
Schiff said the Justice Department will begin turning over to the committee "twelve categories of counterintelligence and foreign intelligence materials as part of an initial rolling production" to be completed by the end of next week.
Schiff was firm in saying these documents do not replace Mueller appearing before the Judiciary committee or former White House Counsel Don McGahn responding to a subpoena when speaking to reporters. Schiff added that he wants Mueller to appear in public and closed-door sessions.
The committee was set to vote on enforcement action regarding Barr's subpoena on Wednesday, but Schiff said with the department's acceptance, that meeting is now cancelled. The subpoena, however, will remain in effect and enforced should DOJ fail to comply with the committee's request.
"The Department has repeatedly acknowledged the Committee's legitimate oversight interest in these materials," Schiff said. "I look forward to, and expect, continued compliance by the Department so we can do our vital oversight work."
Olivia Gazis contributed to this report.
This is a developing story.
