Hope Hicks agrees to testify to House Judiciary Committee
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Hope Hicks and President Trump. Photo: Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images
Former White House communications director Hope Hicks has agreed to testify before the House Judiciary Committee on June 19, the committee announced Wednesday.
Why it matters: Hicks will be the first former Trump official to appear before a Democratic committee investigating whether the president attempted to obstruct justice. However, Hicks may decline to answer certain questions if the president asserts executive privilege over events relating to her time in the White House.
- Last week, the president instructed Hicks not to turn over documents related to her time in the administration, in defiance of a subpoena from the committee.
Details: The "transcribed interview" will "include questions related to Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential campaign and efforts by President Trump, his associates, and other Administration officials to obstruct justice and investigations into Presidential misconduct," per the statement.
- Statement from Chairman Jerry Nadler: “It is important to hear from Ms. Hicks, who was a key witness for the Special Counsel. Ms. Hicks understands that the Committee will be free to pose questions as it sees fit, including about her time on the Trump Campaign and her time in the White House."
- "Should there be a privilege or other objection regarding any question, we will attempt to resolve any disagreement while reserving our right to take any and all measures in response to unfounded privilege assertions. We look forward to her testimony and plan to make the transcript promptly available to the public.”
The backdrop: Hicks is one of five former White House officials formally subpoenaed by the committee. Others include former White House counsel Don McGahn, former White House strategist Steve Bannon, former White House chief of staff Reince Priebus, and former White House deputy counsel Ann Donaldson.
- Trump has said he does not want any of his current or former aides to testify before Congress.
Hicks did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
