The White House has instructed two former aides, Hope Hicks and Annie Donaldson, not to turn over documents to Congress in response to a subpoena, NBC News reports.
Hicks, former White House director of communications, and Annie Donaldson, former chief of staff to former White House counsel Don McGahn, received subpoenas in May from the House Judiciary Committee for testimony and documents as part of its ongoing investigation into President Trump, with the committee setting a June 4 deadline for the documents. Hicks and Donaldson have now been instructed not to turn over documents related to their time in the administration, with the White House mentioning executive privilege as a reason not to do so while not asserting executive privilege, reports CNN.
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This is the latest move from the White House to block the Judiciary Committee's investigation, with McGahn having previously been instructed not to turn over documents or testify. The House plans to vote to hold McGahn in contempt, and when CNN asked Nadler whether Hicks and Donaldson will be held in contempt as well if they rebuff Congress' subpoena, he said, "I assume so."
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