JUST IN: White House says Trump will not invoke executive privilege and try to block James Comey from testifying. https://t.co/BUCuiPnHuX
— CNN (@CNN) June 5, 2017
James Comey is scheduled to testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday, and President Donald Trump isn’t going to block it. The White House press secretary made a statement assuring that Trump won’t interfere with Comey’s testimony by claiming executive privilege, which was a big question late last week. So hold on to your hat, because this week is sure to be quite the ride. Sarah Huckabee Sanders confirmed the news in today’s press conference, and the White House issued an official statement:
“The president’s power to exert executive privilege is very well established. However, in order to facilitate a swift and thorough examination of the facts sought by the Senate Intelligence Committee, President Trump will not assert executive privilege regarding James Comey’s scheduled testimony.”
White House: Trump will NOT try to block Comey from testifying pic.twitter.com/TwSTxNosON
— Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) June 5, 2017
Things have been heating up on Capitol Hill. There was the blizzard of subpoenas that blanketed Washington last week. The takeover of a grand jury investigation into Michael Flynn by special counsel Robert Mueller. Not to mention that thing where GOP House Intel Chair Devin Nunes left the whole minority wing of the House out of an investigation parallel to the Russia probe. Now Comey is back in the spotlight after he was unceremoniously fired for something to do with his inability to “effectively lead the bureau.” The Obama administration alum had just debunked Trump’s wiretapping claims, and was starting to investigate Trump’s ties to Russia when the President decided to lay his signature line down on the FBI director.
We’ll see what Comey has to say on Thursday.
(Via CNN)