Acting U.S. attorney general will testify before House panel

The committee's Democrats want to question Whitaker about his oversight of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election and his communications with the White House related to the probe and the firing of former Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Whitaker, whom President Donald Trump chose to head the Justice Department after firing Sessions in November, said earlier on Thursday that he would not show up if Democrats issue him a subpoena, saying their threats show their "true intention" to "create a public spectacle." Shortly before Whitaker's threat to withdraw from the hearing, the House Judiciary Committee had voted 23-13 along party lines to have a subpoena ready in case Whitaker fails to show up or refuses to answer questions.