Collins opening statement on markup to hold Barr in contempt

". . . Democrats are afraid of what the attorney general will find when he completes his ongoing review of FISA abuses at the Justice Department, including how the Russia investigation began. Multiple news reports have suggested those conclusions could be explosive, could end careers and could even lead to criminal prosecution. Rather than face the music, Democrats have resolved to neutralize Bill Barr by attacking his integrity and distinguished career."

WASHINGTON — Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, released the following opening statement ahead of the markup to hold Attorney General Barr in contempt. Below are the remarks as prepared. Ranking Member Collins: Mr. Chairman, the slog continues. Last week, I urged you and your fellow Judiciary Committee Democrats to respect the history and traditions of this committee and conduct its business accordingly. We have a crisis on the southern border. China is stealing our intellectual property. Yet here we are, wasting another valuable week of the legislative calendar on your war against the administration. Today, we are meeting to consider a resolution to hold Attorney General Bill Barr in contempt of Congress. What is the justification for holding Attorney General Barr in contempt of Congress? Perhaps it’s that he failed to abide by the special counsel regulations? No, he went above and beyond what the regulations require by transmitting the full report to Congress, with very limited redactions. Could it be that the attorney general failed to accommodate the chairman’s demands for information? No, he offered to let the chairman and five other Democrat leaders review the less-redacted report at DOJ, including a 99.9% unredacted volume on obstruction. In an odd move for anyone demanding access to information, the chairman—and every other elected Democrat given access — has declined to view that report. The attorney general also volunteered to testify before this committee about the report’s conclusions and his role in sharing the report, and, as we all witnessed, Democrat gamesmanship forced the attorney general to forgo the scheduled hearing last week. On Monday, the Justice Department offered to meet to discuss accommodations. Yesterday, they made a reasonable offer to avert this spectacle, and once again, the chairman declined. Perhaps, then, Democrats believe there has been an unreasonable delay in the Justice Department’s response to their subpoena? No, that’s not true either. In fact, the chairman is moving this contempt resolution at lightning speed. It’s been less than 20 days since Chairman Nadler subpoenaed documents from the Justice Department. When the Oversight Committee held Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt, more than 250 days had passed between subpoena and the committee’s vote to hold him in contempt. More than 450 days passed between the committee’s initial request to the Justice Department and the committee’s contempt vote. Judiciary Democrats are moving more than 10 times faster than Oversight did with Holder. They have moved from request to contempt vote in only 43 days, and yet the Justice Department is still at the negotiating table — waiting for Democrats to arrive in good faith. Why this rush? Without any valid legislative or administrative reason, we can only assume Democrats, led by the chairman, have resolved to sully Bill Barr’s good name and reputation to accomplish at least two goals. First, Democrats are angry the special counsel’s report did not produce the material or conclusions they expected to pave their path to impeaching the president. I feel compelled to remind everyone the report found that, despite offers to do so, no one from the Trump campaign knowingly conspired with the Russian government. You can’t help but notice the phrase “Russian collusion” has vanished from Democrat talking points and left a void in their narrative. Since the special counsel did not make a prosecutorial determination on obstruction — which was his job — the attorney general and deputy attorney general did so according to their mandates as law enforcement officials, while giving no credence to the Office of Legal Counsel opinions regarding sitting presidents. As a result, Democrats are angry. They are angry our nation’s chief law enforcement officer and his deputy had the audacity to decide the evidence didn’t support charges for obstructing an investigation into something the president didn’t do. Second, Democrats are afraid of what the attorney general will find when he completes his ongoing review of FISA abuses at the Justice Department, including how the Russia investigation began. Multiple news reports have suggested those conclusions could be explosive, could end careers and could even lead to criminal prosecution. Rather than face the music, Democrats have resolved to neutralize Bill Barr by attacking his integrity and distinguished career. This is the first step. What a cynical, mean-spirited, counterproductive and irresponsible step it is. Meanwhile, our economy is surging. Unemployment among several minority groups is at a historic low. A recent Washington Post poll shows cratering support for impeachment, but Democrats have no plans, no purpose and no viable legislative agenda beyond attacking this administration. The House is more than four months into a Democrat majority. How many bills passed by this committee have been signed into law? Mr. Chairman, I implore you to see reason. I ask you to recognize that craven and insincere politics yield anemic dividends for Americans who have asked us to legislate. As I have told you on multiple occasions and proved at last week’s pharmaceuticals markup, I stand ready to work with you to promote solutions. I will not, though, become a bystander as you assail the attorney general and this committee. Our democracy deserves better.