Donald Trump says he’d ‘love’ them to testify at the impeachment hearing, but it’s a ‘Democratic scam’
Former White House counsel Don McGahn. Picture: AFP/ BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI Washington — US justice department lawyers asked a judge on Tuesday to put on hold a ruling that would require former White House counsel Don McGahn to comply with a congressional subpoena to testify in a legal battle that could have implications for the Democratic-led impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump.
The Trump administration’s court filing asked for the delay while it pursues an appeal a day after US district judge Ketanji Brown Jackson rejected its legal claim that current and former senior White House officials cannot be compelled to testify before Congress. The administration has not only blocked officials from testifying to lawmakers but has refused to provide requested documents to Democratic congressional investigators on a wide range of topics, claiming broad immunity. Trump, on Twitter, said he would “love” to let top officials testify, but added, “It is a Democrat Scam that is going nowhere but, future Presidents should in no way be compromised.” The justice department, representing McGahn in his former official capacity, said in a court filing that the House of Representatives judiciary committee, which is seeking the testimony, has agreed to a seven-day temporary delay. If the judge does not immediately impose that delay, McGahn would file an emergency application at the federal appeals court in Washington on Wednesday, the administration lawyers said. In May 2018, McGahn, who left his post in October 2018, defied a subpoena from the House judiciary committee to testify about Trump’s efforts to impede the now-completed special counsel investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 US election. The subpoena was issued months before the Democratic-led House opened its impeachment inquiry into Trump’s actions concerning Ukraine. The justice department lawyers wrote that Monday’s ruling is only the second in US history requiring a senior presidential adviser to testify before Congress and that the dispute raises “significant and difficult separation-of-powers questions”. Separation of powers is a term that refers to the US constitution assigning different authority to the executive, legislative and judicial branches of the US government.The judge’s ruling could give other former and current administration officials, such as former White House national security adviser John Bolton, a legal basis for co-operating with the impeachment inquiry, according to legal experts. If the justice department’s request for a longer pause is granted, then the dispute over presidential powers will not be decided for months and during that time McGahn would not have to testify.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Hanging Judge: Should the punishment fit the crime?An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. The Hanging Judge uses this expression to highlight what he thinks is partly to blame for poor refereeing in today’s football games.
Read more »
Teach boys that they are not superior to girls, urges ConCourt judgeAs the country marks the 16 Days of Activism campaign against gender-based violence, Constitutional Court justice Zukisi Tshiqi has reflected on the brutality meted out on SA's women.
Read more »
Steenhuisen: ‘Don’t judge me on the melanin in my skin’Newly minted interim DA leader John Steenhuisen wants a chance to prove himself, and his plea is that people should not rush to judge him based on “the amount of melanin in my skin”.
Read more »
Trump welcomes dog who helped catch Islamic State leader to White HouseUS President Donald Trump welcomed an unusual guest to the White House on Monday.
Read more »
Trump administration wants to put order for McGahn testimony on hold | IOL NewsU.S. Justice Department lawyers asked a judge to put on hold a ruling that would require former White House Counsel Don McGahn to comply with a congressional subpoena to testify in the impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump.
Read more »