House Judiciary Committee Subpoenas McGahn In Obstruction Inquiry

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-UT) poses for photographs with Judge Brett Kavanaugh before a meeting at the U.S. Capitol July 11, 2018 in Washington, DC. U.S. President Donald Trump nominated Kavanaugh to succeed retiring Supreme Court Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy.
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 11: White House Counsel Don McGahn heads to a meeting between Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-TX) and Judge Brett Kavanaugh (C) at the U.S. Capitol July 11, 2018 in Washington, DC. U.S. Pre... WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 11: White House Counsel Don McGahn heads to a meeting between Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-TX) and Judge Brett Kavanaugh (C) at the U.S. Capitol July 11, 2018 in Washington, DC. U.S. President Donald Trump nominated Kavanaugh to succeed retiring Supreme Court Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) MORE LESS
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The House Judiciary Committee issued a subpoena to former White House counsel Don McGahn on Monday, asking for documents and testimony relating to allegations that President Trump committed obstruction of justice.

The subpoena — issued by House Judiciary chair Jerry Nadler (D-NY) — asks McGahn to testify in public on May 21.

The request also provides a May 7 deadline for the former White House counsel to hand over documents on matters ranging from attempts to fire special counsel Robert Mueller to discussions over pardons for key Russia probe targets.

Nadler said in a statement that the Mueller report “outlines substantial evidence that President Trump engaged in obstruction and other abuses,” and that Congress must now decide how to exercise its “duties of oversight, legislation, and constitutional accountability.”

Nadler added that, “as a co-equal branch of government, Congress has a constitutional obligation to hold the President accountable, and the planned hearings will be an important part of that process.”

The subpoena also asks for information regarding “prosecuting or investigating James Comey or Hillary Clinton” as well as documents relating to the firing of National Security Adviser Michael Flynn.

Rep. Doug Collins, the top Republican on the committee, spoke out against Nadler’s move.

“For the second time in four days, the chairman has issued a subpoena prematurely and contrary to his pledge not ‘to issue a subpoena every time we have a disagreement with the administration,’” Collins said in a statement. “Don McGahn sat for more than 30 hours of interviews with the special counsel’s investigation, and the chairman has answered that with a stunning 36-item subpoena. Instead of looking at material that Attorney General Barr has already made available, Democrats prefer to demand additional materials they know are subject to constitutional and common-law privileges and cannot be produced.”

Bill Burck, an attorney for McGahn, did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Read a copy of the subpoena below:

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