The House Intelligence Committee is preparing for a showdown with former White House strategist Stephen Bannon that members call a moment of truth for Congress if it wants to maintain any authority to scrutinize the Trump administration.
Panel lawmakers are urging leaders to issue a contempt citation for Bannon if he refuses to answer their questions during an interview expected Thursday – their second attempt to compel Bannon’s testimony in recent weeks. Lawmakers subpoenaed him last month when he declined to address subjects related to their probe of Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.
Bannon has successfully delayed several attempts to reschedule the interview while his lawyers coordinate with the administration, and according to members of the committee, he still maintains he will not answer questions about his time on Trump’s transition team or in the White House.
A lawyer for Bannon didn’t respond to requests for comment.
(c) 2018, The Washington Post · Karoun Demirjian
{Matzav.com}
