So much for “case closed.”
The Republican-led Senate Intelligence Committee subpoenaed first son Donald Trump Jr., legally compelling him to answer questions from the committee about his previous testimony, Axios and other news organizations reported Wednesday.
Axios did not say what exactly the committee wants to ask Trump Jr. concerning his previous testimony. However, Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee have accused him of lying to them at least twice about his knowledge of the Trump Tower Moscow negotiations during the 2016 campaign.
Trump Jr. reportedly told Congress that he was only “peripherally aware” of the negotiations for a Trump Tower in Moscow. However, former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen has since testified that the Trump children were far more involved in the project than he let on, with Cohen saying he briefed Donald Junior. and his sister, Ivanka Trump, on the negotiations 10 times.
The fact that the GOP-led Senate Intelligence Committee is hauling Trump Jr. in one day after their own leader, Mitch McConnell, declared the Russia investigation to be “case closed” is a major deal for a few reasons.
First, for Republicans to subpoena the eldest son of a president for whom they have played defense at every turn suggests they truly believe he. has something to answer for.
It also suggests that while special counsel Robert Mueller is finished with his investigation — one in which he never actually got to interview the president’ son — the Senate investigation is not yet complete. That makes McConnell’s “case closed” comment look even worse than it already did.
Moreover, if Trump Jr. is found to have lied to Congress about his contacts with Russia, he could face the same charge that sent Cohen to prison. Cohen pleaded guilty to lying to Congress about the same Trump Tower Moscow project, among other things.
A source close to the younger Donald. seemed surprised by the Axios report.
“Don and Senate Intel agreed from the very beginning that he would appear once to testify before the committee and would remain for as long as it took to answer all of their questions. He did that. We’re not sure why we’re fighting with Republicans,” the source told Axios.
Published with permission of The American Independent.
