It's practically de rigueur at this point, but once again, the president of the United States has instructed private citizens to break the law to cover his own criminal a$$. That's right, the Narcoleptic Nazi has ordered former employees to defy Congressional subpoenas to hand over documents to the Judiciary Committee, relating to his 2016 campaign and the transition to the White House. Hope Hicks, who served as the White House Communications Director, and Annie Donaldson, who was Don McGahn's Chief of Staff, have been told to not give the committee the documents they're requesting. Hope Hicks, through her lawyer, said she was providing some, but not all of the documents. NOT OKAY, BOYS AND GIRLS.
Here's the background from MSNBC reporter, Mike Memoli:
MIKE MEMOLI: As you remember in march, Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Jerry Nadler issued a sweeping request for documents from some 81 officials both related to the Trump campaign and Trump administration. Last month the committee issued a subpoena specifically requesting those additional documents from Hope Hicks, the former White House Communications Director and Annie Donaldson who was the Chief of Staff for Don McGahn. Today was the deadline for them to comply with the subpoena. We've learned from Congressional sources, they told us today, that the lawyer for Hope Hicks at least, one of the two people that are under subpoena, communicated to the committees that they were going to be able to provide some, but not all, the documents they requested. Specifically, they were told the White House directed Hope Hicks not to provide documents related to her time both in the White House and also during the transition. Chairman of the committee, Jerry Nadler has just issued a statement, I'm going to read some of that to you. This is a partial victory, I should say. Chairman Nadler saying, "Federal law makes clear that the documents we requested, documents that left the White House months ago are no longer covered by executive privilege, if they ever were. The president has no lawful basis for preventing these witnesses from complying with our request. We will continue to seek reasonable accommodation on these and all of our discovery requests and intend to press ahead with these issues when we obtain testimony from both Mrs. Hicks and Ms. Donaldson." So as you know, Geoff, The committee is expecting to hold a series of hearings, coming forward. This, in response to that growing appetite, the growing calls among many Democrats to begin a formal impeachment inquiry. At this point, Chairman Nadler is not taking that step but they so have an additional subpoena for Hicks and Donaldson to come and provide testimony at the end of this month. No indication from this announcement whether they'll honor that request just yet.
I'm gonna go ahead and bet that there are more empty witness chairs in Congress' future.
According to CNN, Rep. Nadler is assuming Hicks and Donaldson are heading towards a contempt charge.
Asked Tuesday whether he would also hold Hicks and Donaldson in contempt if they don't comply with his requests, House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler, a New York Democrat, said: "I assume so."
Hicks was one of Trump's earliest aides on his presidential campaign, dating back to 2015. The White House's executive privilege argument doesn't apply to her time on the campaign, and it's unclear whether the White House can invoke executive privilege related to the presidential transition period.
Another day, another crime committed by the Executive Branch, and seemingly only noted and logged by the Legislative Branch. *Yawn.* Wake me when there is an actual consequence.
