Documents: White House Orders Former Official to Defy Congressional Subpoena, Congress Responds

Mikhaila Fogel
Tuesday, April 23, 2019, 5:44 PM

The White House sent a letter on Monday to counsel for Carl Kline, former White House personnel security director, directing him to not comply with a subpoena issued by the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.

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The White House sent a letter on Monday to counsel for Carl Kline, former White House personnel security director, directing him to not comply with a subpoena issued by the House Committee on Oversight and Reform. Kline was subpoenaed in connection with testimony given to the oversight committee by personnel security official Tricia Newbold, in which she asserted that her office issued 25 denials of security clearances that were overturned by the White House.

Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings released a statement on Tuesday responding to this letter. He highlighted that the White House did not assert privilege, but rather sought to "challenge the Committee's authority" to depose Kline. Cummings also noted his intention to consult with House counsel and oversight committee members about scheduling a vote to hold Kline in comtempt. Both the White House's letter to Kline and Cummings's statement are available below.

White House Letter to Kline

Chairman Cummings Statement

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Mikhaila Fogel

Mikhaila Fogel

@MikhailaRFogel
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Mikhaila Fogel was an associate editor at Lawfare and a research analyst at the Brookings Institution. She previously worked as a legislative correspondent for national security and foreign affairs issues in the Office of Sen. Susan Collins. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Harvard College, where she majored in history and literature and minored in government and Arabic.

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