Press Releases

House Judiciary Asks Judge to Expedite Ruling for Testimony of Former White House Counsel Don McGahn

Washington, DC, August 27, 2019

Today, the House Judiciary Committee filed a motion to expedite the ruling in the lawsuit to compel former White House Counsel Don McGahn to testify before the Committee as part of its impeachment investigation into obstruction, corruption and abuse of power by President Donald Trump and his associates.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) released the following statement:

“As the Committee moves forward with its efforts to determine whether to recommend articles of impeachment against the President, we will do everything in our power to hear from those who directly witnessed President Trump’s crimes outlined in Special Counsel Mueller’s report. We have made clear that Don McGahn’s testimony is the most crucial because of his central role in witnessing the President’s multiple acts of obstruction of justice.

“President Trump and the White House have repeatedly blocked witnesses from complying with Committee subpoenas and documents and continue to attempt to stall progress in the courts.  We are aware of this strategy to prevent Congress and the American people from hearing the truth about Trump’s obstruction which is why expediting Mr. McGahn’s testimony is so very important. We look forward to the Judge considering our request.”

Text of today’s motion is available here.

The text of the original complaint is available here. Below are excerpts from the original filing:

  • McGahn is the Committee’s most critical witness.
  • McGahn’s refusal to testify is depriving the Committee of a witness and information that are essential to its investigation, thereby impeding its ability to exercise its essential Article I functions. That includes the most urgent duty the legislative branch can face: determining whether to recommend articles of impeachment.
  • The day before McGahn’s required appearance before this Committee, pursuant to the subpoena at issue in this litigation, the White House purportedly directed McGahn not to appear on the basis of so-called “absolute immunity” from compelled testimony.  Although that claim has no basis in law and has never been accepted by any court, McGahn refused to appear before this Committee as required by his subpoena.