House Judiciary Chair Nadler says Congress will not allow Trump to block subpoenas after McGahn's no-show


The subpoena wars continue.
House Democrats on Tuesday gathered to to hear testimony concerning Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into 2016 Russian election interference. But, for the second time this month, the witness did not show up. Former White House Counsel Don McGahn followed in the footsteps of Attorney General William Barr, who refused to appear before the House Judiciary Committee earlier in May.
McGahn was directly instructed by the White House to defy a subpoena for his appearance, based on a Justice Department opinion that his former role in the White House means he cannot be compelled to testify about his official duties.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
House Judiciary Chair Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) feels quite differently, however. He made that clear as the hearing, which went on — albeit briefly — even without McGahn. Nadler did acknowledge that McGahn did not "blindly" participate in unethical behavior during Mueller's investigation, but that doesn't mean he's off the hook when it comes to testimony. The congressman tossed aside the White House's stance on McGahn's obligation, arguing that he must show up, and that the Trump administration must cease its meddling in such cases altogether.
Ultimately the debate over whether McGahn must testify will be decided by the courts, Fox News' senior judicial analyst Judge Andrew Napolitano said on Tuesday.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.
-
Trump hawks Teslas, slashes more federal jobs
Speed Read The Education Department cut its workforce in half ahead of an expected Trump order to shutter the agency
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Ukraine agrees to ceasefire, ending US aid freeze
Speed Read Kyiv made peace with the Trump administration by agreeing to an immediate ceasefire in its war against Russian invaders
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
ICE arrests Palestinian advocate with green card
Speed Read Recent Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil has had his visa revoked, despite his status as a permanent resident
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump doesn't rule out recession as tariffs bite
Speed Read In an interview for Fox News, Trump acknowledges the economic turbulence caused by his tariffs but claims his policies will be worth it in the long run
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Mark Carney selected next Canadian prime minister
Speed Read The political novice will succeed outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump eases Mexico, Canada tariffs again as markets slide
speed read The president suspended some of the 25% tariffs he imposed on Mexican and Canadian imports
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump tells Cabinet they are in charge of layoffs, not Musk
Speed Read The White House has faced mounting complaints about DOGE's sweeping cuts
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Rep. Sylvester Turner dies, weeks after joining House
Speed Read The former Houston mayor and longtime state legislator left behind a final message for Trump: 'Don't mess with Medicaid'
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published