In a damning smackdown a federal judge has ruled that former White House Counsel Don McGahn must testify before Congress, CNN reports. The House Judiciary Committee issued a subpoena in April, but the Trump administration has claimed McGahn has “absolute immunity” from testifying.
There is no legal right to “absolute immunity.”
Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, during oral arguments, was stunned at the Dept. of Justice’s claim that McGahn had “absolute immunity,” CNN reports.
“We don’t live in a world where your status as a former executive branch official somehow shields you or prevents you from giving information,” Jackson said. “I see almost every day people who are former executive branch officials giving information to the media.”
McGahn, who left as White House Counsel in October, 2018, is seen as having unique and critical information into possible obstruction by Trump during the Mueller investigation.
McGahn can appeal, as can the White House.
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