02/08/2019
FOX’s Chad Pergram looks into the timing of a letter from Acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to the House Judiciary Committee on today’s “Speaker’s Lobby”:
I’m Chad Pergram with the Speaker’s Lobby.
There was some curious timing regarding a letter from Acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to the House Judiciary Committee. The letter declared Whitaker wouldn’t appear before the panel, unless members withdrew a subpoena, compelling his testimony. Keep in mind, Whitaker was willing to appear without the subpoena.
The House Judiciary Committee prepared the subpoena, at the same time the Senate Judiciary Committee was supposed to vote to send the nomination of William Barr to become Attorney General to the floor shortly after 10 am Thursday. But Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham delayed the committee vote until just before 1 pm.
The House Committee approved the subpoena. A few hours later, the Senate Committee voted to send Barr’s nomination to the floor. The latter move all but made Barr’s nomination a fait accompli on the floor next week.
Just after the Senate panel voted on Barr, Whitaker fired off the letter letter to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler. Whitaker indicated he would not appear unless Nadler withdrew the subpoena.
Fox is told the timing played out like this, so the administration knew that Barr was on a glide path to succeed Whitaker next week. And that could preclude Whitaker from potentially testifying.
With the Speaker’s Lobby, Chad Pergram, FOX News.
Follow Chad on Twitter: @ChadPergram
