Justice Department may advise Trump to claim privilege over Mueller report

[May 08, 2019]    WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department threatened on Tuesday to completely withhold Special Counsel Robert Mueller's unredacted report from Congress if House Democrats decide to move ahead with plans to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt.

President Donald Trump attends an event to celebrate the anniversary of first lady Melania Trump's “Be Best” initiative in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, U.S., May 7, 2019. REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne

The department said in a letter to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler any move by Democrats to hold Barr in contempt would compel Barr to "request that the President invoke executive privilege" over the unredacted materials in Mueller's report that the Democrats previously subpoenaed.

(Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by Paul Tait)

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