House Intel subpoenas Michael Flynn, Rick Gates for further testimony
The House Intelligence Committee has subpoenaed former Trump Deputy Campaign Manager Rick Gates and former White House National Security Adviser Michael Flynn for documents and testimony as the panel continues to probe alleged ties between the Trump campaign and Russian government in the wake of the special counsel's now-closed investigation.
Both Gates and Flynn had cooperated with Robert Mueller's team of investigators and provided substantial information about matters central to the House panel's separate investigation.
Letters issued alongside the subpoenas demand that Gates and Flynn hand over unspecified documents and other materials by June 26 and appear before the committee to provide sworn testimony on July 10.
In a statement released on Thursday, committee chair Rep. Adam Schiff, D-California, argued that both Trump associates have an obligation to cooperate with Congress and haven't yet "fully" done so.
"That's simply unacceptable," said Schiff. "The American people, and the Congress, deserve to hear directly from these two critical witnesses. We hope these witnesses come to recognize their cooperation as being with the United States, not merely the Department of Justice."
Schiff hinted on Wednesday that a subpoena could be forthcoming for FBI Director Chris Wray as the committee seeks an update on the status of counterintelligence investigations known to have been launched into the president's campaign.
Gates was the business partner of Paul Manafort, the former Trump campaign chairman who was sentenced to 47 months in prison on charges of bank fraud, filing false tax returns and failure to report foreign assets. Gates was also indicted by a federal grand jury and pleaded guilty on charges of conspiring against the U.S. and of making false statements to the federal government. He has not yet been sentenced as he continues to cooperate with the U.S. government.
Flynn, meanwhile, pleaded guilty last year for lying to federal investigators concerning his contacts with Russian officials. Later, the special counsel's office released a memo arguing that Flynn should not be sentenced to prison because he had provided "substantial assistance" to its investigation. He is currently awaiting sentencing.
The move comes after a separate committee heard testimony from President Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., for a second time on potential connections to the Kremlin at the request of a Republican-issued subpoena.
Clare Hymes contributed to this report.