Grassley-Durbin Statement on Judiciary Committee’s Exclusion from Administration’s Briefing on its Operations in Venezuela

WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) today released a joint statement on the Trump administration’s decision to exclude the Senate Judiciary Committee from this evening’s Capitol Hill briefing on the arrest of Nicolás Maduro, who was indicted for drug trafficking and narco-terrorism conspiracy:

“President Trump and Secretary Rubio have stated that this was a law enforcement operation that was made at the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) request, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The Senate Judiciary Committee has jurisdiction over DOJ, FBI and DEA, and all three agencies are led by individuals who our Committee vetted and processed. The Attorney General herself will be present at today’s briefing.

“There is no legitimate basis for excluding the Senate Judiciary Committee from this briefing. The administration’s refusal to acknowledge our Committee’s indisputable jurisdiction in this matter is unacceptable and we are following up to ensure the Committee receives warranted information regarding Maduro’s arrest.”

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