One conservative House Republican said Thursday lawmakers may subpoena Nellie Ohr, the wife of embattled Justice Department official Bruce Ohr, for her possible role in compiling and distributing a salacious anti-Trump dossier.
“Now that Nellie Ohr is not coming in it is time to subpoena her and get her in as soon as possible,” Rep. Jim Jordan, Ohio Republican, said an interview with The Hill.
Republican lawmakers on two House committees had planned for Mrs. Ohr to testify before them on Friday, but the agreement fell apart for unknown reasons.
“Last week, we thought Nellie Ohr was going to be in for a deposition tomorrow,” Mr. Jordan told The Hill. “Turns out she isn’t. That is unfortunate.”
The Ohrs have drawn fire from Republican lawmakers for their connection to the so-called Steele dossier. Compiled by former British shy Christopher Steele, the dossier is full of unverified allegations about President Trump’s ties to Russia.
Mr. Ohr, through his role at the Justice Department, is believed to have passed the dossier to the FBI, which used it, in part, to obtain a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act warrant on Trump campaign figure Carter Page.
Some Republican lawmakers have claimed Mrs. Ohr may have given the dossier to her husband. She would have had access to it because she worked as contractor for Fusion GPS, an opposition research firm said to have been paid by Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign to find dirt on Mr. Trump.
Last month, Mr. Ohr testified before two House committees about his relationship with Mr. Steele. He has also become a target of Mr. Trump, who on Monday declassified a series of FBI reports with Mr. Ohr In addition, the president has threatened to revoke Mr. Ohr’s security clearance.
One day after Mr. Ohr, testified, Mr. Trump launched his strongest attack against the Justice Department official, saying it was “disgraceful” he still had a job at the department.
“How the hell is Bruce Ohr still employed at the Justice Department? Disgraceful! Witch Hunt!” Mr. Trump tweeted, repeating the words he uses to describe special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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