House panel authorizes a dozen subpoenas tied to Mueller report
WASHINGTON — The House Judiciary Committee voted Thursday to authorize subpoenas for 12 people mentioned in special counsel Robert Mueller’s report, including President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and former Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
The panel also voted to authorize subpoenas for documents and testimony related to Trump’s handling of immigration, including on the separation of migrant families at the southern border. The resolution authorizes an investigation into whether there have been any discussions of Trump offering pardons to Homeland Security officials who work on immigration issues.
Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., will make the final decision about issuing the subpoenas and has said they can be avoided if witnesses and the administration cooperate voluntarily. The vote was 21-12.
The resolution authorizes subpoenas for documents and testimony from several former administration officials, including former national security adviser Michael Flynn, former White House chief of staff John Kelly and former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.
Among the other subpoena targets are Corey Lewandowski, Trump’s former campaign manager; Jody Hunt, Sessions’ former chief of staff; and former White House aides Rob Porter and Rick Dearborn.
Three other names on the subpoena list are related to the National Enquirer’s efforts to help kill potentially embarrassing stories about Trump over the years by paying hush money.
They include David Pecker, chief executive of the National Enquirer’s parent company and a longtime Trump ally; Dylan Howard, who former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen said was involved in coordinating payments to two women who said they had affairs with Trump; and Keith Davidson, an attorney who initially represented the women and negotiated their payments.
The panel is investigating whether Trump obstructed justice after Mueller’s report detailed several episodes in which Trump tried to influence his investigation.
As part of that probe, Mueller is scheduled to testify to Congress next week before the Judiciary and intelligence panels for around two hours each. Democrats have been in last-minute negotiations to figure out the format under the time constraints. It’s likely that not every member will get to question Mueller, a point that raised ire among Republicans at the committee meeting.
The top Republican on the panel, Rep. Doug Collins, said the panel was “rolled” and is “having our legs cut out from under us by limiting the questioning.”