Resist, resist, resist!
WASHINGTON — After weeks of simmering frustration, House Democrats took their first shot
on Wednesday at questioning a key figure from Robert S. Mueller III’s investigation into
whether President Trump obstructed justice. They were not entirely happy with the results.
Behind closed doors, lawmakers on the House Judiciary Committee pressed Hope Hicks, one of
Mr. Trump’s closest former aides, on her recollections of episodes documented by Mr. Mueller,
the special counsel, in which Mr. Trump tried to assert control over investigations of his
campaign’s ties to Russian election interference. They also resurrected an older accusation
against Mr. Trump: the president’s role in an illegal scheme to make hush payments to two women
during his 2016 campaign.
But if the hearing had the potential to kick-start Democrats’ stalled investigations into Mr.
Trump, it quickly veered toward an increasingly familiar outcome. Under the direction of White
House and her private lawyers, Ms. Hicks declined to answer questions about her time working in
the administration and on the presidential transition, citing instructions from the president
that she was “absolutely immune” from answering, lawmakers from both parties said.
If she is “absolutely immune” from answering why did you call her in for questioning?
Did you think she was going to be a good sport?
And the beat goes on.
WASHINGTON — After weeks of simmering frustration, House Democrats took their first shot
on Wednesday at questioning a key figure from Robert S. Mueller III’s investigation into
whether President Trump obstructed justice. They were not entirely happy with the results.
Behind closed doors, lawmakers on the House Judiciary Committee pressed Hope Hicks, one of
Mr. Trump’s closest former aides, on her recollections of episodes documented by Mr. Mueller,
the special counsel, in which Mr. Trump tried to assert control over investigations of his
campaign’s ties to Russian election interference. They also resurrected an older accusation
against Mr. Trump: the president’s role in an illegal scheme to make hush payments to two women
during his 2016 campaign.
But if the hearing had the potential to kick-start Democrats’ stalled investigations into Mr.
Trump, it quickly veered toward an increasingly familiar outcome. Under the direction of White
House and her private lawyers, Ms. Hicks declined to answer questions about her time working in
the administration and on the presidential transition, citing instructions from the president
that she was “absolutely immune” from answering, lawmakers from both parties said.
If she is “absolutely immune” from answering why did you call her in for questioning?
Did you think she was going to be a good sport?
And the beat goes on.
ointer:
