House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler said Monday he has served a subpoena demanding former top Trump White House official Rob Porter testify about President Trump’s anger at the Russia investigation.
Mr. Nadler said Mr. Porter, who was White House staff secretary for the first year of the new administration, was part of an effort to cover up Mr. Trump’s attempts to fire special counsel Robert Mueller.
That incident is at the center of Democrats’ impeachment hopes.
Mr. Nadler said he has demanded Mr. Porter appear to testify to his committee Sept. 17 alongside Corey Lewandowski, Mr. Trump’s onetime campaign chief and confidant, and Rick Dearborn, who was deputy chief of staff in the Trump White House.
Mr. Nadler said Mr. Lewandowski and Mr. Dearborn were part of an attempt by the president to get then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions to limit the scope of the Russia probe.
Mr. Porter, meanwhile, was asked by Mr. Trump to tell Don McGahn, at the time the White House’s top lawyer, to write a letter denying he had been ordered to fire Mr. Mueller. Mr. McGahn refused, saying Mr. Trump had, in fact, insisted he find a way to fire the special counsel.
Mr. Porter left the White House in February 2018 after allegations of abuse by two ex-wives became public.
Both the Porter and Lewandowski-Dearborn interactions with Mr. Trump were detailed in Mr. Mueller’s report, and Democrats say Mr. Trump’s attempts — even though unsuccessful — are evidence of criminal behavior that deserves investigation and ouster.
Mr. Nadler, in court filings, has said his investigation is an impeachment inquiry, though no such vote has taken place in the House.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.
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