House Democrats subpoena Lewandowski, Dearborn for testimony
The subpoenas are part of the Judiciary Committee's ongoing probe.
Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee have issued subpoenas to President Donald Trump's former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski and Rick Dearborn, Trump's former White House deputy chief of staff for policy for their public testimony next month as part of the panel's ongoing probe into potential obstruction of justice and public corruption.
"It is clear that any other American would have been prosecuted based on the evidence Special Counsel (Robert) Mueller uncovered in his report. Corey Lewandowski and Rick Dearborn were prominently featured in the Special Counsel’s description of President Trump’s efforts to obstruct justice by directing then-White House Counsel Don McGahn to fire the Special Counsel, and then by ordering him to lie about it," House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler said in a statement.
The subpoena comes the same day that Lewandowski will join the president at a campaign rally in Manchester, New Hampshire, amid speculation that he will formally announce a run for the U.S. Senate in New Hampshire in 2020.
In a tweet, Lewandowski said, "Congress needs to get back to work on the issues important to the American people. Together, we can Keep America Great!"
Mueller's report describes Trump dictating a message to Lewandowski to give to then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions to limit the scope of the special counsel's investigation to only election interference. As Mueller's report states, Lewandowski never delivered the message and instead asked Dearborn to do so.
"Dearborn also said that being asked to serve as a messenger to Sessions made him uncomfortable," Mueller's report says. "He recalled later telling Lewandowski that he had handled the situation, but he did not actually follow through with delivering the message to Sessions, and he did not keep a copy of the typewritten notes Lewandowski had given him."
Sources told ABC News that Lewandowski would be willing to testify publicly before the committee, but his attorney is encouraging him only to speak about his time working for Trump on the campaign, not about any conversations he had with Trump as president.
"Mr. Lewandowski has voluntarily appeared before and cooperated with Congress three times answering questions for hours. He also has spoken for hours with the special counsels office," Peter Chavkin, Lewandowski's lawyer, said in a statement. "In light of this, it is fair to ask what could be gained from requiring him to appear yet again."
The subpoena requests Lewandowski and Dearborn's testimony on Sept. 12.
Democrats see public testimony from them and other prominent Trump figures as key elements of their post-Mueller obstruction of justice investigation as they determine whether to take up impeachment against the president.
The two were on the list of a dozen subpoenas the committee authorized in June, requesting documents and testimony from twelve current and former administration officials and associates of Trump related to their obstruction investigation, but also to the administration's immigration policy.
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