Rachel Maddow, Democrats used misleading Barr video to suggest he lied to Congress, reporter finds
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A report found MSNBC's "Rachel Maddow Show" and certain Democrats used a misleading video to cast Attorney General Bill Barr in a negative light. (Getty/AP, File)
MSNBC's "Rachel Maddow Show" and certain congressional Democrats used a misleading video in order to suggest Attorney General William Barr lied to lawmakers, a Washington Free Beacon report found Wednesday.
Maddow played a clip of the exchange between Barr and Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., from a hearing in early April about Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report. Her show tweeted out the clip Tuesday night.
In that hearing, Barr replied to Van Hollen that he didn’t know if Mueller agreed with a "conclusion" of his about the report. As Free Beacon reporter Alex Griswold noted, it came after Van Hollen asked Barr about his findings regarding obstruction-of-justice allegations.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}BARR: MUELLER REPORT IS DONE. WE NEED TO STOP USING DOJ AS 'POLITICAL WEAPON'
"In context, it's obvious Barr wasn't being asked whether Mueller agreed with his ‘conclusion’ meaning his four-page summary, his framing of his facts, etc., but about his ultimate conclusion on obstruction of justice," Griswold wrote.
Mueller had left that question open in the report, which had not yet been publicly released.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}It was revealed late Tuesday that Mueller had already expressed frustration to Barr in March about how his findings were portrayed.
Van Hollen called on the attorney general to quit his job Wednesday, saying Barr "totally misled me, the Congress, and the public. He must resign." Congressional Democrats have accused Barr of trying to spin Mueller’s report to favor the president.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Meantime, Maddow asked on her show, "When the attorney general said he doesn't know how Mueller felt about his conclusion, and he says that under oath, is that a problem?" MSNBC did not respond to Fox News' request for comment.
Barr has told members of the House Judiciary Committee that he will not testify before their committee Thursday. Barr appeared Wednesday before the Senate Judiciary Committee.