- The Washington Times - Monday, December 16, 2019

Lawyers for the House Judiciary Committee told a federal court Monday the panel’s impeachment investigation will continue even after the House votes on the impeachment of President Trump.

In a 66-page filing with the D.C. Court of Appeals, the committee’s attorneys said they need former special counsel Robert Mueller’s grand jury materials for a likely Senate trial. But they also said the Judiciary Committee will keep investigating any wrongdoing that may have arisen from Mr. Mueller’s investigation.

“The committee has continued and will continue investigations consistent with its own statements respecting their importance and purposes,” wrote Douglas Letter, the committee’s general counsel.

The Democrat-lead committee is demanding the redacting materials, saying they could shed light on whether Mr. Trump obstructed justice.

Obstruction of justice is one of two articles of impeachment that the House is expected to vote on Wednesday. The other article impeachment accuses Mr. Trump of abusing his power when he pressed the Ukraine president to investigate the son of former Vice President Joseph R. Biden.

The committee’s attorneys told the court it doesn’t have complete information on the obstruction charge, thus necessitating the Mueller materials.

“Those articles underscore the committee’s urgent need for the withheld material,” Mr. Letter wrote. “As the committee recently explained, should the committee obtain the withheld material, ’it would be utilized among other purposes, in a Senate trial on these articles of impeachment, if any.’”

Democrats have pushed for the redacted grand jury information, which cannot be disclosed under federal law unless approved by a judge since Mr. Mueller completed his investigation earlier this year.

• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.

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