Washington, D.C. – Today, the House Judiciary Committee announced an agreement with Annie Donaldson, former Chief of Staff to former White House Counsel Donald F. McGahn, to secure her testimony to Committee questions. The Committee had served Ms. Donaldson with a subpoena for her to appear for a deposition on Monday, June 24, 2019, but because Ms. Donaldson is pregnant and in her third trimester there are concerns about her ability to travel and testify at length. Accordingly, the Committee, Ms. Donaldson and the White House have reached the following accommodation:
Ms. Donaldson agrees to appear in person for testimony at a later time following November 1, 2019.
Ms. Donaldson will provide written answers to the Committee’s written questions within one week of receiving them.
Ms. Donaldson will tell the Committee whether the White House provided White House documents to her and her counsel.
The White House must make any objections on a question-by-question basis as if Ms. Donaldson had appeared in person.
House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler issued the following statement:
“When the House Judiciary Committee issues a subpoena for witness testimony, the legal compulsions of that subpoena must be abided and the testimony we receive should be truthful and direct.We understand that Ms. Donaldson’s pregnancy makes it difficult for her to travel and testify for long periods of time, and we worked on finding an accommodation to those needs and restrictions. We are happy to reach an agreement with Ms. Donaldson that secures her prompt response to the Committee’s questions while reserving the right of the Committee to call her in when she is again able to travel and testify. Ms. Donaldson had a front row seat to many of the instances outlined in the Mueller Report dealing with President Trump’s alleged obstruction of justice and other abuses of power, which is why she is a key witness for the Committee in our ongoing work to hold the President, his associates, and members of his Administration accountable. We look forward to hearing from Ms. Donaldson and reviewing her written testimony.”