FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: apus121022

House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler said his committee is filing a court petition Friday in an effort to obtain secret grand jury material underlying former special counsel Robert Mueller's report.

The panel is also expected to file a lawsuit next week to try to enforce a subpoena against former White House counsel Donald McGahn, a key Mueller witness, if he doesn't comply before then.

That suit is expected to challenge the White House's claim that former White House employees have "absolute immunity" from testifying before Congress.

The move comes after Mueller's testimony Wednesday to Congress saying he had not "exculpated" President Donald Trump. Democrats are trying to focus public attention on Mueller's words and on his 448-page report's contents, including several episodes in which Trump sought to influence the special counsel's investigation into Russia election interference.

Mueller concluded that he could not exonerate Trump on obstruction of justice. He also concluded that there was no evidence of a criminal conspiracy between Trump's campaign and Russia.

The panel has struggled to bring in witnesses like McGahn who spoke extensively to Mueller because the White House has directed them to refuse to testify. Trump has said he will fight "all of the subpoenas."

Nadler said the committee is still negotiating with McGahn for documents and testimony, and the committee will file the lawsuit "in very short order" if he does not comply.

The court battles are beginning as the House leaves for a six-week recess and Democrats are debating whether to impeach the Republican president. More than 90 House Democrats have said they favor starting the impeachment process, but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said she wants to build the strongest case possible before making that decision, including by going to court to force witnesses to comply.

Nadler said the court filing will include a line saying that the materials are necessary "to determine whether the committee should recommend articles of impeachment."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 26 July 2019

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Jerrold Nadler, House Judiciary Committee Chairman: ++SOUNDBITE PARTIALLY OVERLAID++

"Before he (Robert Mueller) ever stepped into our hearing room, the director had rendered our country a great and necessary public service. He showed through his report and his indictments that the United States was attacked and remains under siege by a foreign adversary. He showed that the Trump campaign both welcomed and benefited from this attack on our country. And he showed that the president repeatedly lied to cover it up."

++SOUNDBITES SEPARATED BY WHITE FLASHES++

POOL

Washington - 24 July 2019

2. Various Robert Mueller testifying

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington - 26 July 2019

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerrold Nadler, House Judiciary Committee Chairman:

"We will continue to seek testimony from key fact witnesses.  As many of you know the committee has authorized several additional subpoenas. Our work will continue into the August recess and we will use those subpoenas, if we must. We will also continue to seek important documents from the Department of Justice and the White House. We have made some progress on this front. There appears to be compelling evidence of the President's misconduct outside of the four corners of the redacted version of the Mueller Report. And we will work to uncover that evidence as well. Finally, today we are filing an application for the grand jury material underlying the Mueller report. That information is critically important for our ability to examine witnesses including former White House counsel Don McGahn and to investigate the president's misconduct. I will not comment on reports of our ongoing negotiations with Mr. McGahn but unless he complies with our accommodation efforts in very short order we expect to file an additional suit to enforce a subpoena for his testimony and that would be next week or earlier next week."

Private tensions between Justice Department leaders and special counsel Robert Mueller's team broke into public view in extraordinary fashion Wednesday as Attorney General William Barr pushed back at complaints over his handling of the Trump-Russia investigation report and aimed his own criticism at the special counsel.

Testifying for the first time since releasing Mueller's report, Barr said he was surprised Mueller did not reach a conclusion on whether President Donald Trump had tried to obstruct justice, and that he felt compelled to step in with his own judgment that the president had committed no crime.

The airing of disagreements over the handling of the report was notable given the highly secretive nature of the special counsel's investigation and the public appearance for at least most of the probe that the Justice Department and Mueller's team were unified in approach.

But Barr sought to minimize the rift by suggesting the special counsel's concerns were largely about process, not substance.

Barr's appearance Wednesday before the Senate Judiciary Committee gave him his most extensive opportunity to explain the department's actions, including his news conference held before the Mueller report's release.

It was also a forum for him to repair a reputation bruised by allegations that he's the Republican president's protector and by the emergence of a private letter from Mueller that criticized his handling of the report.

Democrats seized on the daylight between the two men to attack Barr's credibility and accuse him of unduly spinning Mueller's report in the president's favor.

They also pressed him on whether he had misled Congress last month when he professed ignorance about complaints from the special counsel's team. Barr suggested he had not lied because he was in touch with Mueller himself and not his team.

"Mr. Barr, I feel your answer was purposely misleading, and I believe others do too," said Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.

While Democratic senators bluntly questioned Barr's actions, Republicans, in addition to defending Trump, focused on the president's 2016 Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton's email and campaign practices and what they feel is a lack of investigation of them.

Neither side broke much ground Wednesday on the specifics of Mueller's investigation, though Barr did articulate a robust defense of Trump as he made clear his firm conviction that there was no prosecutable case against the president for obstruction of justice.

Barr entered the hearing on the defensive following reports hours earlier that Mueller had complained to him in a letter and over the phone about the way his findings were being portrayed.

Two days after receiving Mueller's report, Barr released a four-page letter that summarized the main findings.

Mueller's letter, dated March 27, conveys his unhappiness that Barr released what the attorney general saw as the bottom-line conclusions of the special counsel's investigation and not the introductions and executive summaries that Mueller's team had prepared and believed conveyed more nuance and context than Barr's own letter. Mueller said he had communicated the same concern two days earlier.

Once Mueller submitted his report, his work was done and the document was "my baby," Barr insisted defiantly.

"It was my decision how and when to make it public. Not Bob Mueller's," he said.

POOL

Washington DC - 1 May 2019

1. Wide, Senate Judiciary Committee

2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Sen. Lindsey Graham, Chairman Judiciary Committee:

"The conclusions in your page four page summary, you think, accurately reflect his bottom line on collusion. Is that correct? (Barr: Yes) And you can read it for yourself if you got any doubt. As to obstruction of justice, were you surprised he was gonna let you decide?"

3. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General:

"Yes, I was surprised. I ... I think the very purpose the function he was carrying out the prosecutor of investigative and prosecutor function is performed for the purpose of people. (Graham: How many people did he actually indict, do you know?) I can't remember off the top of my head. (Graham: It was a lot.) Yeah."

4. Mid, Barr listening

5. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General:

"Thing that was confusing to me is that the investigation carried on for a while as additional episodes were were looked into, episodes involving the president. And so my question is or was why were those investigated if at the end of the day aren't going to reach a decision on them? (Graham: So did you consult Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein about the obstruction matter?) Constantly. (Graham: So, was he in agreement with your decision not to proceed forward?) Yes."

6. Wide, Barr listening

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Patrick Leahy, Democrat - Vermont:

"What really struck me, Mr. Mueller wrote that your letter threatened to undermine a central purpose for which the department appointed the special counsel to ensure full public confidence in the outcome of the investigation. Why did you testify on April 9th that you didn't know the concerns being expressed by Mueller's team, when in fact you had heard those concerns directly from Mr. Mueller two weeks before?"

8. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General:

"Mueller had never told me that that might that the expression of the findings was inaccurate. But I did then volunteer that I thought they were talking about the desire to have more information put out, but it wasn't my purpose to put out more information."

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Patrick Leahy, Democrat - Vermont:

"Mr. Barr are you ... I feel your answer was purposely misleading and I think others do too. May I ask you another one? You said the president is fully cooperating with an investigation, but his attorney had told a defendant he'd be taken care of if he didn't cooperate with the investigation. Is there a conflict in that there are conflict in that?"

10. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General:

"I'm sorry, could you just repeat that? (Leahy: Both Mr. Manafort and Mr. Cohen we're told by Trump's personal attorney they'd be taken care of if they did not cooperate. You said that the president was fully cooperate. Is there a conflict there? Yes or no.) No."

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Dick Durbin, Democrat - Illinois:

"No I'll just say this Mr. Barr if you received a letter from Bob Mueller a few days after your March 24th letter, it was clear he had some genuine concerns about what you had said and done to that point. Can we move to another topic?"

12. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General:

"Yeah, his concerns was he wanted more added and I would analogize it to this my ... you know after, after a months long trial if if if I wanted to go out and get out to the public what the verdict was pending preparation of the full transcript and I'm out there saying here's the verdict. And the prosecutor comes up and taps me on the shoulder and says, 'well the verdict doesn't really fully capture all my work about that great cross examination I did or how about that third day of trial where I did that. This doesn't capture everything.' My answer to that is I'm not trying to capture everything. I'm just trying to state the verdict. (Durbin: No you just absolutely use the word summarize though in your letter.) Summarize the principal conclusions. (Durbin: Principle conclusions which most people would view as a summary.)"

13. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, Democrat - Rhode Island:

"You described the report in four pages and it's a 400 page report, I don't know why you're cavalier about whether it is a summary or not?"

14. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General:

"Because, as I state in the letter that I'm stating the principal conclusions. You know Bob Mueller is the equivalent of a U.S. attorney. He was exercising the powers of the attorney general subject to the supervision of the attorney general. He's part of the Department of Justice. His work concluded when he sent his report to the attorney general at that point it was my baby and I was making a decision as to whether or not to make it public. And I effectively overrode the regulations, use discretion, to lean as far forward as I could to make that public and was my decision how and when to make it public not Bob Mueller's."

15. Wide view of hearing

Private tensions between Justice Department leaders and special counsel Robert Mueller's team broke into public view in extraordinary fashion Wednesday as Attorney General William Barr pushed back at complaints over his handling of the Trump-Russia investigation report and aimed his own criticism at the special counsel.

Testifying for the first time since releasing Mueller's report, Barr said he was surprised Mueller did not reach a conclusion on whether President Donald Trump had tried to obstruct justice, and that he felt compelled to step in with his own judgment that the president had committed no crime.

The airing of disagreements over the handling of the report was notable given the highly secretive nature of the special counsel's investigation and the public appearance for at least most of the probe that the Justice Department and Mueller's team were unified in approach.

But Barr sought to minimize the rift by suggesting the special counsel's concerns were largely about process, not substance.

Barr's appearance Wednesday before the Senate Judiciary Committee gave him his most extensive opportunity to explain the department's actions, including his news conference held before the Mueller report's release.

It was also a forum for him to repair a reputation bruised by allegations that he's the Republican president's protector and by the emergence of a private letter from Mueller that criticized his handling of the report.

Democrats seized on the daylight between the two men to attack Barr's credibility and accuse him of unduly spinning Mueller's report in the president's favor.

They also pressed him on whether he had misled Congress last month when he professed ignorance about complaints from the special counsel's team. Barr suggested he had not lied because he was in touch with Mueller himself and not his team.

"Mr. Barr, I feel your answer was purposely misleading, and I believe others do too," said Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.

While Democratic senators bluntly questioned Barr's actions, Republicans, in addition to defending Trump, focused on the president's 2016 Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton's email and campaign practices and what they feel is a lack of investigation of them.

Neither side broke much ground Wednesday on the specifics of Mueller's investigation, though Barr did articulate a robust defense of Trump as he made clear his firm conviction that there was no prosecutable case against the president for obstruction of justice.

Barr entered the hearing on the defensive following reports hours earlier that Mueller had complained to him in a letter and over the phone about the way his findings were being portrayed.

Two days after receiving Mueller's report, Barr released a four-page letter that summarized the main findings.

Mueller's letter, dated March 27, conveys his unhappiness that Barr released what the attorney general saw as the bottom-line conclusions of the special counsel's investigation and not the introductions and executive summaries that Mueller's team had prepared and believed conveyed more nuance and context than Barr's own letter. Mueller said he had communicated the same concern two days earlier.

Once Mueller submitted his report, his work was done and the document was "my baby," Barr insisted defiantly.

"It was my decision how and when to make it public. Not Bob Mueller's," he said.

POOL

Washington DC - 1 May 2019

1. SOUNDBITE: (English) Sen. Lindsey Graham, Chairman Judiciary Committee:

"The conclusions in your page four page summary, you think, accurately reflect his bottom line on collusion. Is that correct? (Barr: Yes) And you can read it for yourself if you got any doubt. As to obstruction of justice, were you surprised he was gonna let you decide?"

2. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General:

"Yes, I was surprised. I ... I think the very purpose the function he was carrying out the prosecutor of investigative and prosecutor function is performed for the purpose of people. (Graham: How many people did he actually indict, do you know?) I can't remember off the top of my head. (Graham: It was a lot.) Yeah."

3. Mid, Barr listening

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Patrick Leahy, Democrat - Vermont:

"What really struck me, Mr. Mueller wrote that your letter threatened to undermine a central purpose for which the Department appointed the special counsel to ensure full public confidence in the outcome of the investigation. Why did you testify on April 9th that you didn't know the concerns being expressed by Mueller's team, when in fact you had heard those concerns directly from Mr. Mueller two weeks before?"

5. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General:

"Mueller had never told me that that might that the expression of the findings was inaccurate. But I did then volunteer that I thought they were talking about the desire to have more information put out, but it wasn't my purpose to put out more information."

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Patrick Leahy, Democrat - Vermont:

"Mr. Barr are you ... I feel your answer was purposely misleading and I think others do too."

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Dick Durbin, Democrat - Illinois:

"No I'll just say this Mr. Barr if you received a letter from Bob Mueller a few days after your March 24th letter, it was clear he had some general genuine concerns about what you had said and done to that point. Can we move to another topic?"

8. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General:

"Yeah, his concerns was he wanted more added and I would analogize it to this my ... you know after, after a months long trial if if if I wanted to go out and get out to the public what the verdict was pending preparation of the full transcript and I'm out there saying here's the verdict. And the prosecutor comes up and taps me on the shoulder and says, 'well the verdict doesn't really fully capture all my work about that great cross examination I did or how about that third day of trial where I did that. This doesn't capture everything.' My answer to that is I'm not trying to capture everything. I'm just trying to state the verdict. (Durbin: No you just absolutely use the word summarize though in your letter.) Summarize the principal conclusions. (Durbin: Principle conclusions which most people would view as a summary.)"

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, Democrat - Rhode Island:

"You described the report in four pages and it's a 400 page report, I don't know why you're cavalier about whether it is a summary or not?"

10. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General:

"Because, as I state in the letter that I'm stating the principal conclusions. You know Bob Muller is the equivalent of a U.S. attorney. He was exercising the powers of the attorney general subject to the supervision of the attorney general. He's part of the Department of Justice. His work concluded when he sent his report to the attorney general at that point it was my baby and I was making a decision as to whether or not to make it public. And I effectively overrode the regulations, use discretion, to lean as far forward as I could to make that public and was my decision how and when to make it public not Bob Mueller's."

Private tensions between Justice Department leaders and special counsel Robert Mueller's team broke into public view in extraordinary fashion Wednesday as Attorney General William Barr pushed back at complaints over his handling of the Trump-Russia investigation report and aimed his own criticism at the special counsel.

Testifying for the first time since releasing Mueller's report, Barr said he was surprised Mueller did not reach a conclusion on whether President Donald Trump had tried to obstruct justice, and that he felt compelled to step in with his own judgment that the president had committed no crime.

The airing of disagreements over the handling of the report was notable given the highly secretive nature of the special counsel's investigation and the public appearance for at least most of the probe that the Justice Department and Mueller's team were unified in approach.

But Barr sought to minimize the rift by suggesting the special counsel's concerns were largely about process, not substance.

Barr's appearance Wednesday before the Senate Judiciary Committee gave him his most extensive opportunity to explain the department's actions, including his news conference held before the Mueller report's release.

It was also a forum for him to repair a reputation bruised by allegations that he's the Republican president's protector and by the emergence of a private letter from Mueller that criticized his handling of the report.

Democrats seized on the daylight between the two men to attack Barr's credibility and accuse him of unduly spinning Mueller's report in the president's favor.

They also pressed him on whether he had misled Congress last month when he professed ignorance about complaints from the special counsel's team. Barr suggested he had not lied because he was in touch with Mueller himself and not his team.

"Mr. Barr, I feel your answer was purposely misleading, and I believe others do too," said Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.

While Democratic senators bluntly questioned Barr's actions, Republicans, in addition to defending Trump, focused on the president's 2016 Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton's email and campaign practices and what they feel is a lack of investigation of them.

Neither side broke much ground Wednesday on the specifics of Mueller's investigation, though Barr did articulate a robust defense of Trump as he made clear his firm conviction that there was no prosecutable case against the president for obstruction of justice.

Barr entered the hearing on the defensive following reports hours earlier that Mueller had complained to him in a letter and over the phone about the way his findings were being portrayed.

Two days after receiving Mueller's report, Barr released a four-page letter that summarized the main findings.

Mueller's letter, dated March 27, conveys his unhappiness that Barr released what the attorney general saw as the bottom-line conclusions of the special counsel's investigation and not the introductions and executive summaries that Mueller's team had prepared and believed conveyed more nuance and context than Barr's own letter. Mueller said he had communicated the same concern two days earlier.

Once Mueller submitted his report, his work was done and the document was "my baby," Barr insisted defiantly.

"It was my decision how and when to make it public. Not Bob Mueller's," he said.

POOL

Washington DC - 1 May 2019

1. Wide, Senate Judiciary Committee

2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Sen. Lindsey Graham, Chairman Judiciary Committee:

"The conclusions in your page four page summary, you think, accurately reflect his bottom line on collusion. Is that correct? (Barr: Yes) And you can read it for yourself if you got any doubt.  As to obstruction of justice, were you surprised he was gonna let you decide?"

3. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General:

"Yes, I was surprised. I ... I think the very purpose the function he was carrying out the prosecutor of investigative and prosecutor function is performed for the purpose of people. (Graham: How many people did he actually indict, do you know?) I can't remember off the top of my head. (Graham: It was a lot.) Yeah."

4. Mid, Barr listening

5. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General:

"Thing that was confusing to me is that the investigation carried on for a while as additional episodes were were looked into, episodes involving the president. And so my question is or was why were those investigated if at the end of the day aren't going to reach a decision on them? (Graham: So did you consult Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein about the obstruction matter?) Constantly. (Graham: So, was he in agreement with your decision not to proceed forward?) Yes."

6. Wide, Barr listening

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Patrick Leahy, Democrat - Vermont:

"What really struck me, Mr. Mueller wrote that your letter threatened to undermine a central purpose for which the department appointed the special counsel to ensure full public confidence in the outcome of the investigation. Why did you testify on April 9th that you didn't know the concerns being expressed by Mueller's team, when in fact you had heard those concerns directly from Mr. Mueller two weeks before?"

8. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General:

"Mueller had never told me that that might that the expression of the findings was inaccurate. But I did then volunteer that I thought they were talking about the desire to have more information put out, but it wasn't my purpose to put out more information."

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Patrick Leahy, Democrat - Vermont:

"Mr. Barr are you ... I feel your answer was purposely misleading and I think others do too. May I ask you another one? You said the president is fully cooperating with an investigation, but his attorney had told a defendant he'd be taken care of if he didn't cooperate with the investigation. Is there a conflict in that there are conflict in that?"

10. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General:

"I'm sorry, could you just repeat that? (Leahy: Both Mr. Manafort and Mr. Cohen we're told by Trump's personal attorney they'd be taken care of if they did not cooperate. You said that the president was fully cooperate. Is there a conflict there? Yes or no.) No."

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Dick Durbin, Democrat - Illinois:

"No I'll just say this Mr. Barr if you received a letter from Bob Mueller a few days after your March 24th letter, it was clear he had some genuine concerns about what you had said and done to that point. Can we move to another topic?"

12. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General:

"Yeah, his concerns was he wanted more added and I would analogize it to this my ... you know after, after a months long trial if if if I wanted to go out and get out to the public what the verdict was pending preparation of the full transcript and I'm out there saying here's the verdict. And the prosecutor comes up and taps me on the shoulder and says, 'well the verdict doesn't really fully capture all my work about that great cross examination I did or how about that third day of trial where I did that. This doesn't capture everything.' My answer to that is I'm not trying to capture everything. I'm just trying to state the verdict.  (Durbin: No you just absolutely use the word summarize though in your letter.)  Summarize the principal conclusions.  (Durbin: Principle conclusions which most people would view as a summary.)"

13. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, Democrat - Rhode Island:

"You described the report in four pages and it's a 400 page report, I don't know why you're cavalier about whether it is a summary or not?"

14. SOUNDBITE (English) William Barr, Attorney General:

"Because, as I state in the letter that I'm stating the principal conclusions. You know Bob Mueller is the equivalent of a U.S. attorney. He was exercising the powers of the attorney general subject to the supervision of the attorney general. He's part of the Department of Justice. His work concluded when he sent his report to the attorney general at that point it was my baby and I was making a decision as to whether or not to make it public. And I effectively overrode the regulations, use discretion, to lean as far forward as I could to make that public and was my decision how and when to make it public not Bob Mueller's."

15. Wide view of hearing

John Dean, a star witness during Watergate who helped bring down the Nixon presidency, testified Monday that special counsel Robert Mueller has provided Congress with a "road map" for investigating President Donald Trump.

Dean, telling the House Judiciary Committee he wanted to provide some historical context, compared Mueller's findings to those of congressional investigators looking into the Nixon administration decades ago.

Dean, who was White House counsel during Richard Nixon's administration, was brought in as a star witness as House Democrats opened three days of sessions aimed at focusing public attention on the findings of the Russia investigation and the president's actions.

"We have a responsibility to do this work, to follow the facts where they lead," said Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., as he gaveled in the hearing.

He said the intent was to make certain "no president, Democrat or Republican, can ever act in this way again."

Monday's hearing is the start of three days of Russia-related action on Capitol Hill. The House Intelligence Committee on Wednesday intends to review the counterintelligence implications of the Russian meddling. Mueller said there was not enough evidence to establish a conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia, but he said he could not exonerate Trump on obstruction.

On Tuesday, the House has scheduled the vote to authorize lawsuits against Barr and former White House counsel Donald McGahn for failing to comply with subpoenas from the Democratic-controlled House. The vote will put the full House on record approving the lawsuits, if leaders and committees decide they want to move forward with them.

Educating the American public on what is in the Mueller report is a priority for Democrats, who believe Trump and his allies have created the public impression that the report said there was no obstruction of justice.

Trump has made that assertion repeatedly, echoing Barr's judgment that there was not enough evidence in the report to support a criminal obstruction charge. Mueller said in the report that he could not exonerate Trump on that point.

The top Republican on the Judiciary Committee, Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia, dismissed Dean as a "godfather" figure.

POOL

Washington - 10 June 2019

1. Wide, back view of John Dean and witnesses in hearing room

2. Various, Dean and other witnesses taking oath

3. SOUNDBITE (English) John Dean, Richard Nixon's White House counsel:

"The last time I appeared before your committee was July 11, 1974 during the impeachment inquiry of Richard Nixon. Clearly I'm not here today as a fact witness. I accepted the invitation to come here today because I hope I can give a little historical perspective on the Mueller Report. In many ways the Muller report is to President Trump what the so-called Watergate road map, officially titled the Grand Jury Report and Recommendation concerning transmission of evidence to the House of Representatives was to President Richard Nixon. Stated a little differently, Special Counsel Muller has provided this committee with a road map."

4. Cutaway Committee Chairman Rep. Jerry Nadler listening

5. SOUNDBITE (English) John Dean, Richard Nixon's White House counsel:

"And I certainly hope Don McGahn is a key witness before this committee. Because of my testimony, the model code of the ABA (American Bar Association) today makes very clear in rule 1.13 that Mr. McGahn represents not Donald Trump but the office of the president. His client is the office of the president and I think he owes that office in his testimony before this committee."

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerry Nadler, Chairman House Judiciary Committee, Democrat - New York:

"We have a responsibility to do this work, to follow the facts where they lead to make recommendations to the whole House if circumstances warrant and to craft legislation that makes certain no president, Democrat or Republican, can ever act in this way again."

7. Close-up Dean looking at copy of Mueller report

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerry Nadler, Chairman House Judiciary Committee, Democrat - New York:

"We were attacked by a foreign adversary. President Trump's campaign took full advantage of the attack when it came. The descriptions of obstruction of justice in Volume Two go to the heart of our legal system. If we can agree on this common set of facts as our starting place and agree to follow the facts of the law where they take us. I believe we can make a great deal of progress in this hearing today."

9. Pan, witnesses

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Doug Collins, Ranking member House Judiciary Committee, Republican - Georgia: ++INCLUDES CUTAWAYS OF DEAN++

"And I'm sort of reminded the Russia priority issue because just a few years ago it was brought up and one of our candidates talked about Russia being a threat. And the former president, Mr. Obama, said you know that the 80s are asking for their foreign policy back. Well guess, what this committee is now hearing from the 70s and they want their star witness back in fact, it's very difficult for one of the witnesses here today ... for many of us who can actually trace the distrust in government back to the witness here today. The 70s star of obstruction. In fact I'll take it a little bit further for those of us who've been looking into this for a while and wonder how we got started here. And for those of us who've heard me discuss the fact that many on our committee and on our side discuss the fight of the corrupt cabal what we see of Strzok, Page, McCabe, Comey and others how we actually got started here. I believe that they have the godfather here today, Mr. Dean. In fact, probably had a picture up. How do we actually use the governmental resources to interfere in other people's campaigns? Mr. Dean is the godfather. They may even have a picture of you, knowing how you do it and that is here today again to talk about a president that obviously you don't like."

11. Mid, Congressmen listening to testimony

John Dean, a star witness during Watergate who helped bring down the Nixon presidency, testified Monday that special counsel Robert Mueller has provided Congress with a "road map" for investigating President Donald Trump.

Dean, telling the House Judiciary Committee he wanted to provide some historical context, compared Mueller's findings to those of congressional investigators looking into the Nixon administration decades ago.

Dean, who was White House counsel during Richard Nixon's administration, was brought in as a star witness as House Democrats opened three days of sessions aimed at focusing public attention on the findings of the Russia investigation and the president's actions.

"We have a responsibility to do this work, to follow the facts where they lead," said Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., as he gaveled in the hearing.

He said the intent was to make certain "no president, Democrat or Republican, can ever act in this way again."

Monday's hearing is the start of three days of Russia-related action on Capitol Hill. The House Intelligence Committee on Wednesday intends to review the counterintelligence implications of the Russian meddling. Mueller said there was not enough evidence to establish a conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia, but he said he could not exonerate Trump on obstruction.

On Tuesday, the House has scheduled the vote to authorize lawsuits against Barr and former White House counsel Donald McGahn for failing to comply with subpoenas from the Democratic-controlled House. The vote will put the full House on record approving the lawsuits, if leaders and committees decide they want to move forward with them.

Educating the American public on what is in the Mueller report is a priority for Democrats, who believe Trump and his allies have created the public impression that the report said there was no obstruction of justice.

Trump has made that assertion repeatedly, echoing Barr's judgment that there was not enough evidence in the report to support a criminal obstruction charge. Mueller said in the report that he could not exonerate Trump on that point.

The top Republican on the Judiciary Committee, Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia, dismissed Dean as a "godfather" figure.

POOL

Washington - 10 June 2019

1. Wide, back view of John Dean and witnesses in hearing room

2. Various, Dean and other witnesses taking oath

3. SOUNDBITE (English) John Dean, Richard Nixon's White House counsel:

"The last time I appeared before your committee was July 11, 1974 during the impeachment inquiry of Richard Nixon. Clearly I'm not here today as a fact witness. I accepted the invitation to come here today because I hope I can give a little historical perspective on the Mueller Report. In many ways the Muller report is to President Trump what the so-called Watergate road map, officially titled the Grand Jury Report and Recommendation concerning transmission of evidence to the House of Representatives was to President Richard Nixon. Stated a little differently, Special Counsel Muller has provided this committee with a road map."

4. Cutaway Committee Chairman Rep. Jerry Nadler listening

5. SOUNDBITE (English) John Dean, Richard Nixon's White House counsel:

"And I certainly hope Don McGahn is a key witness before this committee.  Because of my testimony, the model code of the ABA (American Bar Association) today makes very clear in rule 1.13 that Mr. McGahn represents not Donald Trump but the office of the president.  His client is the office of the president and I think he owes that office in his testimony before this committee."

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerry Nadler, Chairman House Judiciary Committee, Democrat - New York:

"We have a responsibility to do this work, to follow the facts where they lead to make recommendations to the whole House if circumstances warrant and to craft legislation that makes certain no president, Democrat or Republican, can ever act in this way again."

7. Close-up Dean looking at copy of Mueller report

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerry Nadler, Chairman House Judiciary Committee, Democrat - New York:

"We were attacked by a foreign adversary. President Trump's campaign took full advantage of the attack when it came.  The descriptions of obstruction of justice in Volume Two go to the heart of our legal system.  If we can agree on this common set of facts as our starting place and agree to follow the facts of the law where they take us. I believe we can make a great deal of progress in this hearing today."

9. Pan, witnesses

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Doug Collins, Ranking member House Judiciary Committee, Republican - Georgia: ++INCLUDES CUTAWAYS OF DEAN++

"And I'm sort of reminded the Russia priority issue because just a few years ago it was brought up and one of our candidates talked about Russia being a threat. And the former president, Mr. Obama, said you know that the 80s are asking for their foreign policy back. Well guess, what this committee is now hearing from the 70s and they want their star witness back in fact, it's very difficult for one of the witnesses here today ... for many of us who can actually trace the distrust in government back to the witness here today. The 70s star of obstruction.  In fact I'll take it a little bit further for those of us who've been looking into this for a while and wonder how we got started here. And for those of us who've heard me discuss the fact that many on our committee and on our side discuss the fight of the corrupt cabal what we see of Strzok, Page, McCabe, Comey and others how we actually got started here.  I believe that they have the godfather here today, Mr. Dean.  In fact, probably had a picture up. How do we actually use the governmental resources to interfere in other people's campaigns? Mr. Dean is the godfather.  They may even have a picture of you, knowing how you do it and that is here today again to talk about a president that obviously you don't like."

11. Mid, Congressmen listening to testimony

John Dean, a star witness during Watergate who helped bring down the Nixon presidency, testified Monday that special counsel Robert Mueller has provided Congress with a "road map" for investigating President Donald Trump.

Dean, telling the House Judiciary Committee he wanted to provide some historical context, compared Mueller's findings to those of congressional investigators looking into the Nixon administration decades ago.

Dean, who was White House counsel during Richard Nixon's administration, was brought in as a star witness as House Democrats opened three days of sessions aimed at focusing public attention on the findings of the Russia investigation and the president's actions.

"We have a responsibility to do this work, to follow the facts where they lead," said Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., as he gaveled in the hearing.

He said the intent was to make certain "no president, Democrat or Republican, can ever act in this way again."

Monday's hearing is the start of three days of Russia-related action on Capitol Hill. The House Intelligence Committee on Wednesday intends to review the counterintelligence implications of the Russian meddling. Mueller said there was not enough evidence to establish a conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia, but he said he could not exonerate Trump on obstruction.

On Tuesday, the House has scheduled the vote to authorize lawsuits against Barr and former White House counsel Donald McGahn for failing to comply with subpoenas from the Democratic-controlled House. The vote will put the full House on record approving the lawsuits, if leaders and committees decide they want to move forward with them.

Educating the American public on what is in the Mueller report is a priority for Democrats, who believe Trump and his allies have created the public impression that the report said there was no obstruction of justice.

Trump has made that assertion repeatedly, echoing Barr's judgment that there was not enough evidence in the report to support a criminal obstruction charge. Mueller said in the report that he could not exonerate Trump on that point.

The top Republican on the Judiciary Committee, Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia, dismissed Dean as a "godfather" figure.

POOL

Washington - 10 June 2019

1. Pan, John Dean and other witnesses taking oath

2. SOUNDBITE (English) John Dean, Richard Nixon's White House counsel:

"The last time I appeared before your committee was July 11, 1974 during the impeachment inquiry of Richard Nixon. Clearly I'm not here today as a fact witness. I accepted the invitation to come here today because I hope I can give a little historical perspective on the Mueller Report. In many ways the Muller report is to President Trump what the so-called Watergate road map, officially titled the Grand Jury Report and Recommendation concerning transmission of evidence to the House of Representatives was to President Richard Nixon. Stated a little differently, Special Counsel Muller has provided this committee with a road map."

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerry Nadler, Chairman House Judiciary Committee, Democrat - New York:

"We have a responsibility to do this work, to follow the facts where they lead to make recommendations to the whole House if circumstances warrant and to craft legislation that makes certain no president, Democrat or Republican, can ever act in this way again."

++SOUNDBITES SEPARATED BY WHITE FLASHES++

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Doug Collins, Ranking member House Judiciary Committee, Republican - Georgia: ++INCLUDES CUTAWAYS OF DEAN++

"And I'm sort of reminded the Russia priority issue because just a few years ago it was brought up and one of our candidates talked about Russia being a threat. And the former president, Mr. Obama, said you know that the 80s are asking for their foreign policy back. Well guess, what this committee is now hearing from the 70s and they want their star witness back in fact, it's very difficult for one of the witnesses here today ... for many of us who can actually trace the distrust in government back to the witness here today. The 70s star of obstruction.  In fact I'll take it a little bit further for those of us who've been looking into this for a while and wonder how we got started here. And for those of us who've heard me discuss the fact that many on our committee and on our side discuss the fight of the corrupt cabal what we see of Strzok, Page, McCabe, Comey and others how we actually got started here.  I believe that they have the godfather here today, Mr. Dean.  In fact probably had a picture up. How do we actually use the governmental resources to interfere in other people's campaigns? Mr. Dean is the godfather.  They may even have a picture of you, knowing how you do it and that is here today again to talk about a president that obviously you don't like."

RESTRICTION SUMMARY: AP CLIENTS ONLY

SHOTLIST:

POOL - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington, DC - 21 May 2019

+++CAMERA SWITCHED AT SOURCE+++

1. Wide of House Judiciary Committee before start of hearing

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerry Nadler, (D) New York / Chairman, House Judiciary Committee:

"More than a year ago, White House counsel Don McGahn sat for the first of several interviews with Special Counsel Robert Mueller. Over the course of those interviews, he described how the president directed him to have the special counsel fired. He described how the president ordered him to lie about it. He described several other obstructive incidents outlined in the special counsel's report.  The president, in contrast, refused to be interviewed by the special counsel, or even to answer written questions about his attempts to obstruct the investigation."

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerry Nadler, (D) New York/ Chairman, House Judiciary Committee:

"In short the president took it upon himself to intimidate a witness who has a legal obligation to be here today. This conduct is not remotely acceptable."

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerry Nadler, (D) New York / Chairman, House Judiciary Committee:

"When this committee issues a subpoena even to a senior presidential adviser, the witness must show up. Our subpoenas are not optional. Mr. McGahn has a legal obligation to be here for this scheduled appearance. If he does not immediately correct his mistake, this committee will have no choice but to enforce the subpoena against him. Mr. McGahn did not appear today because the president prevented it. Just as the president has said that he would quote fight all subpoenas closed quote issued by Congress as part of his broader efforts to cover up his misconduct."

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerry Nadler, (D) New York / Chairman, House Judiciary Committee:

"But for the Department of Justice's policy of refusing to indict any sitting president, I believe the president would have been indicted and charged with these crimes. I am not alone in this belief. Over 900 former federal prosecutors from across the political spectrum whose job was to determine when the elements of a crime have been satisfied have stated, have agreed that the President committed crimes that would have been charged if he were not the sitting president."

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerry Nadler, (D) New York / Chairman, House Judiciary Committee:

"The president has declared out loud his intention to cover up this misconduct. He told Mr. McGahn to commit crimes in his behalf. He told Mr. McGahn to lie about it. After the report came out, the president claimed that Mr. McGahn lied to the special counsel about what happened. Then he directed Mr. McGahn not to come here today so that the public would not hear his testimony. And so that we could not question him. President Trump may think he can hide behind his lawyers as he launches a series of bases legal arguments designed to obstruct our work. He cannot think these legal arguments will prevail in court but he can think he can slow us down and run out the clock on the American people. Let me be clear, this committee will hear Mr. McGahn's testimony even if we have to go to court to secure it. We will not allow the president to prevent the American people from hearing from this witness. We will not allow the president to block congressional subpoenas, putting himself and his allies above the law. We will not allow the president to stop this investigation and nothing in these unjustified and unjustifiable legal attacks will stop us from pressing forward with our work on behalf of the American people. We will hold this president accountable one way or the other."

6. Wide of hearing

STORYLINE:

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler rebuked President Donald Trump and former White House Counsel Don McGahn for defying a subpoena for McGahn's testimony before the committee Tuesday.

President Donald Trump directed McGahn to ignore the committee's subpoena to testify. A lawyer for McGahn said he would follow the president's directive.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler said the committee will vote to hold McGahn in contempt of Congress if he did not testify.

It is one of several actions against current and former members of the administration as Trump has said he will fight "all of the subpoenas."

McGahn was a key witness in the investigation of special counsel Robert Mueller.

===========================================================

Clients are reminded:

(i) to check the terms of their licence agreements for use of content outside news programming and that further advice and assistance can be obtained from the AP Archive on: Tel +44 (0) 20 7482 7482 Email: info@aparchive.com

(ii) they should check with the applicable collecting society in their Territory regarding the clearance of any sound recording or performance included within the AP Television News service

(iii) they have editorial responsibility for the use of all and any content included within the AP Television News service and for libel, privacy, compliance and third party rights applicable to their Territory.

RESTRICTION SUMMARY: AP CLIENTS ONLY

SHOTLIST:

POOL - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Washington, DC - 21 May 2019

+++CAMERA SWITCHED AT SOURCE+++

1. Wide of House Judiciary Committee before start of hearing

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerry Nadler, (D) New York / Chairman, House Judiciary Committee:

"More than a year ago, White House counsel Don McGahn sat for the first of several interviews with Special Counsel Robert Mueller. Over the course of those interviews, he described how the president directed him to have the special counsel fired. He described how the president ordered him to lie about it. He described several other obstructive incidents outlined in the special counsel's report.  The president, in contrast, refused to be interviewed by the special counsel, or even to answer written questions about his attempts to obstruct the investigation."

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerry Nadler, (D) New York/ Chairman, House Judiciary Committee:

"In short the president took it upon himself to intimidate a witness who has a legal obligation to be here today. This conduct is not remotely acceptable."

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerry Nadler, (D) New York / Chairman, House Judiciary Committee:

"When this committee issues a subpoena even to a senior presidential adviser, the witness must show up. Our subpoenas are not optional. Mr. McGahn has a legal obligation to be here for this scheduled appearance. If he does not immediately correct his mistake, this committee will have no choice but to enforce the subpoena against him. Mr. McGahn did not appear today because the president prevented it. Just as the president has said that he would quote fight all subpoenas closed quote issued by Congress as part of his broader efforts to cover up his misconduct."

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerry Nadler, (D) New York / Chairman, House Judiciary Committee:

"But for the Department of Justice's policy of refusing to indict any sitting president, I believe the president would have been indicted and charged with these crimes. I am not alone in this belief. Over 900 former federal prosecutors from across the political spectrum whose job was to determine when the elements of a crime have been satisfied have stated, have agreed that the President committed crimes that would have been charged if he were not the sitting president."

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerry Nadler, (D) New York / Chairman, House Judiciary Committee:

"The president has declared out loud his intention to cover up this misconduct. He told Mr. McGahn to commit crimes in his behalf. He told Mr. McGahn to lie about it. After the report came out, the president claimed that Mr. McGahn lied to the special counsel about what happened. Then he directed Mr. McGahn not to come here today so that the public would not hear his testimony. And so that we could not question him. President Trump may think he can hide behind his lawyers as he launches a series of bases legal arguments designed to obstruct our work. He cannot think these legal arguments will prevail in court but he can think he can slow us down and run out the clock on the American people. Let me be clear, this committee will hear Mr. McGahn's testimony even if we have to go to court to secure it. We will not allow the president to prevent the American people from hearing from this witness. We will not allow the president to block congressional subpoenas, putting himself and his allies above the law. We will not allow the president to stop this investigation and nothing in these unjustified and unjustifiable legal attacks will stop us from pressing forward with our work on behalf of the American people. We will hold this president accountable one way or the other."

6. Wide of hearing

STORYLINE:

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler rebuked President Donald Trump and former White House Counsel Don McGahn for defying a subpoena for McGahn's testimony before the committee Tuesday.

President Donald Trump directed McGahn to ignore the committee's subpoena to testify. A lawyer for McGahn said he would follow the president's directive.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler said the committee will vote to hold McGahn in contempt of Congress if he did not testify.

It is one of several actions against current and former members of the administration as Trump has said he will fight "all of the subpoenas."

McGahn was a key witness in the investigation of special counsel Robert Mueller.

===========================================================

Clients are reminded:

(i) to check the terms of their licence agreements for use of content outside news programming and that further advice and assistance can be obtained from the AP Archive on: Tel +44 (0) 20 7482 7482 Email: info@aparchive.com

(ii) they should check with the applicable collecting society in their Territory regarding the clearance of any sound recording or performance included within the AP Television News service

(iii) they have editorial responsibility for the use of all and any content included within the AP Television News service and for libel, privacy, compliance and third party rights applicable to their Territory.