Updated May 13, 2021 - Politics & Policy

Don McGahn agrees to closed-door interview with House panel on Russia report

Former White House counsel Don McGahn during a discussion on December 12, 2019 at the NYU Global Academic Center in Washington, DC.

Former White House counsel Don McGahn during a discussion at the NYU Global Academic Center in Washington, D.C., in 2019. Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images

Former White House counsel Don McGahn agreed Wednesday to speak with the House Judiciary Committee about former President Trump's alleged attempts to obstruct the Russia investigation — with certain conditions, per a court filing.

Why it matters: The agreement ends a two-year standoff after McGahn, a key player in former special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation, repeatedly refused to agree to a subpoena for testimony — resulting in the matter being taken to court.

Of note: One of the conditions is that the committee conducts a "transcribed interview" to happen behind closed doors, rather than calling for McGhan to testify at a public hearing, according to the filing.

The big picture: The Judiciary committee and the Biden administration announced Tuesday they had "reached an agreement in principle" in the case of McGhan.

  • The Mueller report found no evidence of a Trump campaign conspiracy with Russia, but his team compiled 10 different episodes where the former president may have potentially committed obstruction of justice. Trump was never charged over the matter.
  • The Judiciary committee stressed in its Tuesday court filing that Trump isn't a party to the McGahn case and is "not a party to the agreement."

What they're saying: Judiciary Committee Chair Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) said in a statement Wednesday, "When the former President vowed to fight 'all of the subpoenas' aimed at his Administration, he began a dangerous campaign of unprecedented obstruction. We begin to bring that era of obstruction to an end today."

The other side: Representatives for Trump did not immediately return Axios' request for comment. But his spokesperson Jason Miller said Tuesday that the former president hadn't agreed to the deal and he was reviewing his options as he regarded communications with close advisers as confidential, per Politico.

Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.

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