Speaker Pelosi slams AG Barr for lying to Congress: 'That's a crime'

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi did not mince words at a news conference on Capitol Hill on Thursday, where she was asked about Attorney General William Barr’s conduct following the release of special counsel Robert Mueller’s report.

“The attorney general of the United States of America was not telling the truth to the Congress of the United States,” Pelosi said. “That’s a crime.”

Pelosi was referring to testimony Barr gave before a House and Senate committee earlier this month, in which Barr said under oath that he did not know why Mueller’s team was upset with the way the findings of their report were being portrayed.

On Wednesday, a letter Mueller wrote to Barr specifically saying he took issue with Barr’s characterization of the report’s findings was released  — proving that Barr knew exactly why Mueller’s team was frustrated and that he blatantly lied to members of Congress.

Barr’s actions have led to more than 22 Democratic members of the House and Senate calling for his resignation.

And those resignation calls got backed up by some serious heft from Pelosi — the most powerful Democratic elected official in the country and third in line to the presidency — who is now unequivocally accusing Barr of breaking the law.

Pelosi didn’t say what kind of punishment Barr should receive for his actions, nor did she say what consequences other Trump administration officials should receive for obstructing congressional investigations by blatantly ignoring congressional subpoenas.

She said she trusts the Democratic committee chairs to determine that, reading off a statement from House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler, whose requests for testimony and access to the unredacted Mueller report are being ignored by Barr.

“If he does not provide this Committee with the information it demands and the respect that it deserves, Mr. Barr’s moment of accountability will come soon enough,” Nadler said at a hearing Thursday morning that Barr refused to attend.

Pelosi said she agreed with Nadler’s sentiment.

“I think that probably applies,” Pelosi said.

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.