The White House tells Lewandowski not to answer questions and asserts the immunity of Dearborn and Porter

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The White House sent letters to the Judiciary Committee of the House on the testimony of Lewandowski and former councilors Rick Dearborn and Rob Porter, all of whom were summoned to appear on Tuesday. The White House claimed that former White House staff did not have to testify and ordered Lewandowski not to answer questions about his conversations with the President. The White House could invoke the privilege of the executive, beyond what was already contained in the report of former special advocate, Robert Mueller.

"Mr. Lewandowski's conversations with the president and with the president's chief advisers are protected by long-standing principles protecting the secrecy of the executive power," wrote White House lawyer Pat Cipollone. and, as a result, the White House has ordered Mr. Lewandowski not to provide information on such communications beyond the information provided in those parts of the report that have already been disclosed to the Committee. "

The House Judiciary Committee has summoned Lewandowski, Dearborn and Porter last month, but the White House's two aides are not expected to appear, sources quoted the White House as saying, while Lewandowski would have little to say. chances to engage in the episodes described in the obstruction of the special advocate report where he was involved.

Democrats sitting on the Judiciary Committee have rejected the Trump administration 's legal arguments regarding immunity and the right to assert the privilege of the executive.

The White House's position on the testimony of Lewandowski, Porter and Dearborn adds to the growing struggle between the Trump administration and the Judiciary Committee on the Jury's investigation and its efforts to obtain testimony of those cited by Mueller. The White House has also asserted its immunity from the testimony of former White House lawyer Don McGahn, and the committee has taken legal action to obtain his appearance, which is still pending. prosecution.

"The Ministry of Justice has informed me that Mr. Dearborn and Mr. Porter were absolutely immune from any compelling testimony from Congress regarding matters relating to their services as the President's senior adviser", wrote Cipollone in a separate letter.

Porter's lawyer, Brant Bishop, told the committee Monday that the executive and legislative branches disagreed on the issue and that Porter would respect the wishes of his former employer.

"The conflict between the committee is about the White House, not Mr. Porter," Bishop wrote.

The outcome of the McGahn affair will likely determine whether Dearborn and Porter will eventually testify before the committee as well.

Other witnesses appeared before congressional committees but refused to answer questions about the Trump White House or the presidential transition. Hope Hicks, for example, would not talk about her stay at the White House, including the location of her office, although she answered questions about her campaign time.

As Trump's first campaign manager, Lewandowski will not have the privilege of refusing to answer questions about the campaign. But the committee is most interested in asking him about Mueller's details of alleged White House episodes, which is unlikely, especially when the president instructed him to ask Jeff, the Attorney General. Sessions, to put an end to Mueller's investigation, and Lewandowski did not follow.

The White House does not claim the privilege of the executive but claims the right to do so in the future.

Lewandowski testified before the House Intelligence Committee last year in camera during a controversial and secular session, and he did not answer any questions about anything that would have occurred. place after the 2016 elections.

The White House made similar claims about the right to claim executive privilege for someone who was not working at the White House, especially when the former Secretary of State Kansas, Kris Kobach, testified before the House's oversight committee, when the White House said the president on adding an issue of citizenship to the 2020 census was "confidential."

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