Barr Threatens to Refuse to Testify Before Congress This Week

Attorney General William P. Barr, who is scheduled to appear Thursday before the House Judiciary Committee to testify about the special counsel’s report, is threatening to skip the session because he objects to the proposed format for questioning, a spokesman for Representative Jerrold Nadler, the committee chairman, said Sunday.

The committee will hold the hearing with or without Mr. Barr, said the spokesman, Daniel Schwarz.

In addition to allowing each member of the committee to question Mr. Barr for five minutes, Mr. Nadler, Democrat of New York, has proposed a second round of questioning for Democrats and Republicans. However, he has also proposed that staff lawyers for both sides be included in that round, which Mr. Barr opposes.