US Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker said in a statement to the House Judiciary Committee on Thursday that he will not attend his scheduled testimony on Friday if he is not guaranteed he will not receive a subpoena
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 07th February, 2019) US Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker said in a statement to the House Judiciary Committee on Thursday that he will not attend his scheduled testimony on Friday if he is not guaranteed he will not receive a subpoena.Earlier on Thursday, the House Judiciary Committee voted 23-13 to pass a resolution granting the committee power to subpoena Whitaker in case he refuses to answer questions on the basis of speculative executive privilege.
"Consistent with longstanding practice, I remain willing to appear to testify tomorrow, provided that the Chairman assures me that the Committee will not issue a subpoena today or tomorrow, and that the Committee will engage in good faith negotiations before taking such a step down the road," Whitaker said in his statement.
Whitaker said the committee's resolution is a�breach of agreement and accuses them of intending to create a "public spectacle."
Whitaker is set to testify in public before the panel on Friday and is expected to be questioned on Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election.
Mueller has been investigating claims that Russia meddled in the 2016 US presidential election, as well as allegations of collusion between Trump's campaign team and Moscow for months.
Russia has repeatedly denied interfering in the election, saying the allegations were made up to excuse the defeat of Trump's campaign opponent as well as deflect public attention from actual instances of electoral fraud and corruption. The claims of collusion have also been repeatedly dismissed by both Moscow and Trump who has called Mueller's probe a "witch hunt."
