POOL - AP CLIENTS ONLY
Washington, DC - 21 May 2019
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1. Wide of House Judiciary Committee before start of hearing
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerry Nadler, (D) New York / Chairman, House Judiciary Committee:
"More than a year ago, White House counsel Don McGahn sat for the first of several interviews with Special Counsel Robert Mueller. Over the course of those interviews, he described how the president directed him to have the special counsel fired. He described how the president ordered him to lie about it. He described several other obstructive incidents outlined in the special counsel's report. The president, in contrast, refused to be interviewed by the special counsel, or even to answer written questions about his attempts to obstruct the investigation."
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3. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerry Nadler, (D) New York/ Chairman, House Judiciary Committee:
"In short the president took it upon himself to intimidate a witness who has a legal obligation to be here today. This conduct is not remotely acceptable."
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4. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerry Nadler, (D) New York / Chairman, House Judiciary Committee:
"When this committee issues a subpoena even to a senior presidential adviser, the witness must show up. Our subpoenas are not optional. Mr. McGahn has a legal obligation to be here for this scheduled appearance. If he does not immediately correct his mistake, this committee will have no choice but to enforce the subpoena against him. Mr. McGahn did not appear today because the president prevented it. Just as the president has said that he would quote fight all subpoenas closed quote issued by Congress as part of his broader efforts to cover up his misconduct."
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5. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerry Nadler, (D) New York / Chairman, House Judiciary Committee:
"But for the Department of Justice's policy of refusing to indict any sitting president, I believe the president would have been indicted and charged with these crimes. I am not alone in this belief. Over 900 former federal prosecutors from across the political spectrum whose job was to determine when the elements of a crime have been satisfied have stated, have agreed that the President committed crimes that would have been charged if he were not the sitting president."
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6. SOUNDBITE (English) Rep. Jerry Nadler, (D) New York / Chairman, House Judiciary Committee:
"The president has declared out loud his intention to cover up this misconduct. He told Mr. McGahn to commit crimes in his behalf. He told Mr. McGahn to lie about it. After the report came out, the president claimed that Mr. McGahn lied to the special counsel about what happened. Then he directed Mr. McGahn not to come here today so that the public would not hear his testimony. And so that we could not question him. President Trump may think he can hide behind his lawyers as he launches a series of bases legal arguments designed to obstruct our work. He cannot think these legal arguments will prevail in court but he can think he can slow us down and run out the clock on the American people. Let me be clear, this committee will hear Mr. McGahn's testimony even if we have to go to court to secure it. We will not allow the president to prevent the American people from hearing from this witness. We will not allow the president to block congressional subpoenas, putting himself and his allies above the law. We will not allow the president to stop this investigation and nothing in these unjustified and unjustifiable legal attacks will stop us from pressing forward with our work on behalf of the American people. We will hold this president accountable one way or the other."
6. Wide of hearing
