Acting Attorney general Matthew Whitaker says he won't appear before a House committee unless the panel drops its threat of subpoenaing him. Photo By Douglas Graham/CQ Roll Call.

Acting AG Whitaker says he won’t testify unless House panel drops subpoena threat

Politics

WASHINGTON — Acting Attorney general Matthew Whitaker says he won't appear before a House committee unless the panel drops its threat of subpoenaing him.

Whitaker said in a statement Thursday that the House Judiciary Committee is trying "to create a public spectacle" by authorizing a tentative subpoena for his testimony even though he had already agreed to appear voluntarily.

READ MORE: House panel to vote on subpoena for acting attorney general

Whitaker is scheduled to testify Friday.

He is likely in his final days on the job given that the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday approved the nomination of William Barr as acting attorney general. That nomination next goes to the full Senate.

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Acting AG Whitaker says he won’t testify unless House panel drops subpoena threat first appeared on the PBS News website.

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