Transcript for Trump takes hard line on executive privilege
president trump is taking a new hard line strongly suggesting he will block his former white house counsel don mcgahn and other aides from testifying in froments of the house. Jon, mcgahn is the star witness dealing with obstruction of justice. Reporter: He was the star witness in the Mueller report which is exactly why Democrats want him to testify before congress. He was the white house count, George, for 21 months and witness to multiple efforts by the president to take control of the investigation, but the president is suggesting he wants to block all of his aides, former and current, from testifying before the house which he says amounts to testifying before the Democrats that control the house this. Is what he told “The Washington post.” I don’t want people testifying to a party because that is what they’re doing if they do this. Then he went further with the post and suggested that because mcgahn and others have testified before the special counsel, there’s no need. He said I allowed my lawyers and all my people to go and testify to Mueller and you know how I feel about that whole group of people that did the Mueller I was so transparent and they testified for so many others and have all that information that’s been given, but, George, some legal experts say the very fact that the president allowed those aides to talk to the special counsel means he cannot now declare executive privilege to keep them from talking to congress That’s the point. In another committee threatening to hold an administration official in contempt because the white house is preventing him from testifying. Thiss Carl Kline. He was the head of the white house personnel security office in charge of those security clearances. Congress has subpoenaed him to testify as demanded he testify. He is saying that emnot because he has been directed by the white house counsel not to testify and has an interesting interest and says he has two masters from two branches of government, one asking him to testifying, one asking him not to. The treasury secretary defying this. Steve mnuchin thinks that there are legal problems with the request and is not going to give a firm answer on this, yes or no and whether he will turn them over after may 6th. President trump is about to face a new challenger in the
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