Judge Throws Out Bolton Deputy’s Lawsuit Over House Subpoena, Declares Case Moot

National Security Advisor John Bolton answers journalists’ questions after his meeting with the president of Belarus in Minsk on August 29, 2019. (Photo credit: SERGEI GAPON/AFP via Getty Images)
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On Monday, U.S. District Judge Richard Leon dismissed the lawsuit of former National Security Adviser John Bolton aide Charles Kupperman regarding the House Intelligence Committee’s now-retracted subpoena in the impeachment inquiry, declaring the case to be moot.

Leon asserted that the House is “extremely unlikely” to try to hold Kupperman in contempt, as the former official claimed it would, due to the fact that the House dropped its subpoena in early November and assured the judge that it would not compel Kupperman to testify.

“As such, there is simply no reasonable possibility that the House will exercise its inherent contempt power against Dr. Kupperman,” the judge wrote.

The case was meant to test the White House’s claim that its former officials had “absolute immunity” from House investigators’ subpoenas.

Read the filing below:

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Notable Replies

  1. So Kupperman now you think this is over, but it’s not. This will hang over your head for a long time to come.

  2. Does this mean Bolton will testify?
    Rhetorical question. Of course he won’t testify. If he does, I predict his testimony will be worthless.

  3. I’d rather they themselves be doing the hanging…from their heads…or toes…toes work too…

  4. Is Kupperman’s first name Chad?

  5. So on Twitter, they seem to translate the ruling as Bolton must now testify. i am not following that reasoning.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

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