The White House instructed Hope Hicks, a former aide to President Trump, and the ex-counsel’s chief of staff not to cooperate with a congressional subpoena for documents related to their White House service. The White House advised Nadler that Hicks and Donaldson cannot provide records that are the property of the White House, according to a White House official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to freely discuss private deliberations. White House Counsel Pat Cipollone sent a letter Tuesday to Nadler explaining that acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney had directed Hicks and Donaldson not to provide records or information that involve executive branch material and their time in the White House, the official said. Investigators have been stuck, unable to advance their probes because of an uncooperative White House. McGahn also faced a deadline to hand over all communications pertaining to the Mueller probe, but the White House told McGahn it would invoke executive privilege over the material.

Source: Washington Post June 04, 2019 15:34 UTC