Barr chides Jerry Nadler after chairman denies attorney general five-minute break from testimony
by
by
Dominick Mastrangelo,
Social Media Producer
July 28, 2020
Attorney General William Barr sarcastically referred to Rep. Jerry Nadler as a "class act" after the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee briefly denied him a five-minute break during a more than 3 1/2-hour grilling before the body.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Chairman, could I — could we take a five-minute break," Barr asked Nadler during a transition between member questioning.
"No, " Nadler replied.
Rep. Jim Jordan, the ranking Republican on the committee, interjected, saying: "That's a common courtesy."
Barr, apparently shocked, told Nadler: "I waited 45 — an hour for you this morning. I haven't had lunch. I'd like to take a five-minute break."
Tuesday's hearing was delayed for more than an hour after Nadler was involved in a minor car accident on his way to Capitol Hill.
"Mr. Attorney General, we are almost finished," Nadler told Barr. "We're gonna be finished in a few minutes. Otherwise ... we can certainly take a break."
"You're a real class act, Mr. Chairman," Barr laughed. "Real class act."
Jordan spoke up again and blasted Nadler for denying Barr's request.
"He wants a break now," Jordan said. "And you just mentioned rudeness. I think we're seeing it on display. Let's let the attorney general have a break."
Nadler agreed, and the hearing went into recess for five minutes.
The committee called the hearing to probe Barr on his conduct regarding a number of issues, including the Russia investigation, President Trump's Twitter feed, and the deployment of federal officers to quell civil unrest in some cities.
Democrats on the committee repeatedly interrupted Barr as he attempted to answer their questions, something Republicans such as Jordan spent most of the hearing decrying.
"I don't think we've ever had a hearing where the witness wasn't allowed to respond to points made, questions asked, and attacks — attacks made. Not just in this hearing, not just in this committee, but in every committee I've been on," Jordan said. "Particularly when you think about the fact that we have the attorney general of the United States here."
July 28, 2020
Attorney General William Barr sarcastically referred to Rep. Jerry Nadler as a "class act" after the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee briefly denied him a five-minute break during a more than 3 1/2-hour grilling before the body.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Chairman, could I — could we take a five-minute break," Barr asked Nadler during a transition between member questioning.
"No, " Nadler replied.
Rep. Jim Jordan, the ranking Republican on the committee, interjected, saying: "That's a common courtesy."
Barr, apparently shocked, told Nadler: "I waited 45 — an hour for you this morning. I haven't had lunch. I'd like to take a five-minute break."
Tuesday's hearing was delayed for more than an hour after Nadler was involved in a minor car accident on his way to Capitol Hill.
"Mr. Attorney General, we are almost finished," Nadler told Barr. "We're gonna be finished in a few minutes. Otherwise ... we can certainly take a break."
"You're a real class act, Mr. Chairman," Barr laughed. "Real class act."
Jordan spoke up again and blasted Nadler for denying Barr's request.
"He wants a break now," Jordan said. "And you just mentioned rudeness. I think we're seeing it on display. Let's let the attorney general have a break."
Nadler agreed, and the hearing went into recess for five minutes.
The committee called the hearing to probe Barr on his conduct regarding a number of issues, including the Russia investigation, President Trump's Twitter feed, and the deployment of federal officers to quell civil unrest in some cities.
Democrats on the committee repeatedly interrupted Barr as he attempted to answer their questions, something Republicans such as Jordan spent most of the hearing decrying.
"I don't think we've ever had a hearing where the witness wasn't allowed to respond to points made, questions asked, and attacks — attacks made. Not just in this hearing, not just in this committee, but in every committee I've been on," Jordan said. "Particularly when you think about the fact that we have the attorney general of the United States here."
