White House invokes executive privilege to bar former counsel from turning over documents to Congres
Source: Washington Post
PowerPost
White House invokes executive privilege to bar former counsel from turning over documents to Congress
By Rachael Bade, Congressional reporter
May 7 at 11:50 AM
The White House on Tuesday invoked executive privilege to bar former White House counsel Donald McGahn from complying with a congressional subpoena to provide documents to Congress related to special counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s investigation.
White House counsel Pat A. Cipollone wrote in a letter to the House Judiciary Committee that McGahn does not have the legal right to comply with its subpoena for 36 types of documents — most relating to Mueller’s nearly two-year probe of Russian interference in the 2016 election. Rather, Cipollone argued the committee needed to send the request to the White House — and even hinted that they could assert privilege to block the information.
“The White House provided these records to Mr. McGahn in connection with its cooperation with the special counsel’s investigation and with the clear understanding that the records remain subject to the control of the White House for all purposes,” he wrote. “The White House records remain legally protected from disclosure under long-standing constitutional principles, because they implicate significant executive branch confidentiality interests and executive privilege.”
The battle over McGahn’s documents and testimony is expected to be the next front in the ongoing war between the White House and House Democrats. House Democrats were hoping to make McGahn their star witness as they seek to unpack major findings of the Mueller report.
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Rachael Bade is a Congress reporter for The Washington Post, primarily focusing on the House. Her coverage areas include House Democrats’ oversight of the Trump administration as well as policy clashes with the White House, the dynamics animating the historic freshman class and the inner workings of the Democratic leadership team. Follow https://twitter.com/RachaelMBade
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/white-house-invokes-executive-privilege-to-bar-former-counsel-from-turning-over-documents-to-congress/2019/05/07/bf106bc6-70de-11e9-8be0-ca575670e91c_story.html
Hat tip, Politico:
Breaking: Don McGahn won't comply with House Democrats' subpoena
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