Attorney general refuses to testify in House on Mueller report

US Attorney General Bill Barr has refused to testify at a House of Representatives hearing Thursday on his handling of the Mueller report, setting up a showdown that could see Democrats take legal steps to compel his appearance.

House Judiciary Committee chairman Jerry Nadler said Barr had also refused to supply the panel with a full and unredacted copy of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report on Russian meddling in the 2016 election and possible obstruction by President Donald Trump.

Nadler said Barr, who testified for five hours at a Senate hearing Wednesday, did not want to appear before the House panel if he was subjected to questioning by a lawyer from the committee in addition to its members.

"He is terrified at having to face a skilled attorney," Nadler said, adding that "when push comes to shove, the administration cannot dictate the terms of our hearing in our hearing room."