Former Trump aide Rob Porter is reportedly next in line for a House subpoena

Rob Porter (left).
(Image credit: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)

The House Judiciary Committee is continuing with its subpoena quest as it decides whether to recommend articles of impeachment, Politico reports. This time, former White House staff secretary Rob Porter will reportedly be the recipient.

Politico described Porter, who resigned last year following allegations that he abused his two ex-wives, as a key witness in former Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into whether President Trump obstructed justice. Porter is mentioned several times throughout the Mueller report, which also cites his notes that reportedly give credence to claims that Trump tried to constrain, if not outright obstruct, the special counsel's investigation into 2016 Russian election interference.

For example, the report details how Trump instructed Porter to ask Rachel Brand, a top Justice Department official at the time, to supervise the probe; Porter refused to reach out to Brand in the end. The former White House aide was also reportedly present when Trump lambasted former White House Counsel Don McGahn for refusing to comply with Trump's directives to fire Mueller.

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Politico reports that Porter grew close to the president during his time in the White House and was considered a confidante, but it remains unclear whether he would defend his former boss in testimony before the committee. If he even complies, that is — the White House is expected to block Porter from appearing before Congress. Read more at Politico.

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Tim O'Donnell

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.