Annie Donaldson, a former top aide in the White House counsel’s office who was present for much of the conduct in special counsel Robert Mueller’s report, has agreed to testify to Congress, the Judiciary Committee announced Monday.
Ms. Donaldson was chief of staff to former top lawyer Don McGahn, and her notes of meetings and interactions with Mr. Trump formed some of the most interesting reading of the Mueller report.
Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler said he would schedule Ms. Donaldson’s testimony for November to accommodate her pregnancy — he said she’s in her third trimester, and travel is tricky — but he said she’s agreed to answer written questions sooner.
“Ms. Donaldson had a front row seat to many of the instances outlined in the Mueller report dealing with President Trump’s alleged obstruction of justice and other abuses of power, which is why she is a key witness,” Mr. Nadler said.
What Ms. Donaldson will actually say, however, remains to be seen.
Mr. Nadler had sought similar testimony from Hope Hicks, a one-time top campaign aide to Mr. Trump and then communications director at the White House.
After wrangling, Ms. Hicks testified last week — but a White House lawyer objected to questions asked about her time at the White House, including preventing her from even answering where her office was located.
Democrats emerged from that closed-door session enraged and accusing the White House of more obstruction of their investigative efforts.
Under the testimony deal Ms. Donaldson struck with Mr. Nadler, the White House will again have the ability to object to her answers even in written form.
The White House lawyers who accompanied Ms. HIcks to the hearing cited “absolute immunity” to block answers, saying the assertion applied to anything that happened during her tenure in the administration.
Ms. Hicks. was blocked from answering questions 155 times during her session last week and was stopped from offering seemingly insignificant details like where here office was located in the White House and if Mr. Trump over spoke to her during lunch time.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.
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