Val Demings calls acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker's answers 'pitiful'

"I'm thinking maybe we just set up a popcorn machine in the back, " said Rep. Doug Collins, the committee's top Republican.

"The Democrats in Congress yesterday were vicious and totally showed their cards for everyone to see", Trump tweeted Saturday morning.

But with Democrats in control, the adjournment vote was quickly defeated.

After Jackson Lee repeated her question to Whitaker, she quickly looked around and asked to confirm her time had been restored, interrupting the attorney general as he began to answer.

House of Representatives judiciary committee hearing, adding that he has not taken any action in the probe or interfered "in any way". He declined to say, for instance, whether he had discussed other ongoing investigations with the President, like the one in the Southern District of NY, and whether he deemed Mueller's probe a "witch hunt", a term the President has used several times.

Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker revealed on Friday that the USA attorney for the Eastern District of California, Greg Scott, sat in on a briefing Whitaker received on special counsel Robert Mueller's probe.

He asked Whitaker about the Federal Bureau of Investigation arrest of Roger Stone, the political operative who has longtime ties to Trump.

"I am not here to be a puppet to repeat terms and words that you say", Mr. Whitaker shot back.

India beat New Zealand by 7 wickets, level series 1-1
Indian bowler Krunal Pandya took 3, K Khaleel Ahmed scalped 2, while Bhuvenshwar Kumar and Hardik Pandya picked up 1 wicket each. New Zealand , on the other hand, would not be happy with their inconsistent batting performances throughout the Indian series.

"Mr. Chairman, I see that your five minutes is up", Whitaker said, in a bold challenge to the head of the committee. "And I have not interfered in any way with the special counsel's investigation". "I have and will continue to manage this investigation in a manner that is consistent with the governing regulations". This came after the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee Jerry Nadler informed Whitaker that the committee would not subpoena him as long as he shows up and is prepared to respond to their inquiries.

During the hearing, Mr Whitaker told the committee: "While I have specifically been saying that I'm not going to comment about my conversations with the president or his senior staff I have also been very clear that the president has not instructed me to do anything". "We have agreed to five-minute rounds".

Whitaker found himself in yet another standoff later as Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) attempted to ask a question about Whitaker's previous charity work.

Democrats who perceive Whitaker as a Trump loyalist are also expected to ask about Whitaker's comment last week that he believed the investigation into potential ties between Russian Federation and the Trump campaign was almost done.

The tense atmosphere was apparent from the start, as Nadler told Whitaker that as he answered questions, he would "expect either a clean answer or a proper assertion of privilege claimed by the president".

Mr Trump has denounced the investigations as "presidential harassment".

Before joining the department, Whitaker had publicly criticized special counsel Robert S. Mueller III's investigation in columns and in TV interviews. He also has longstanding ties to Sam Clovis, the Trump campaign's national co-chairman in the 2016 election who said Mueller had questioned him; in 2014, he chaired Clovis' campaign for Iowa State Treasurer.