Don McGahn could decide Trump's political fate | By eliehonig for CNNOpinion
In this weekly column"Cross-exam," Elie Honig, a former federal and state prosecutor and CNN legal analyst, gives his take on the latest legal news and answers questions from readers. Post your questions below. The views expressed in this commentary are his own. View more opinion articles on CNN. Watch Honig answer reader questions on"CNN Newsroom" at 5:40 p.m. ET Sundays.
Any trial lawyer knows that it is one thing to read a witness statement, but quite another to see the witness testify live. Live testimony is the ultimate moment of truth. Prosecutors spend hours preparing a key witness, reviewing statements and doing dry runs. But when the witness raises his or her hand and gets sworn in, the stakes multiply.
The American public will soon have the opportunity to hear live testimony from a witness who could turn out to be the most important of all: Don McGahn, former White House counsel to President Donald Trump. After the release of special counsel Robert Mueller's redacted report, Rep. Jerrold Nadler, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, issued a subpoena to McGahn. From a prosecutor's perspective, McGahn is perfectly situated to be a star witness.
Toobin: If this isn't obstruction of justice ... what is? 02:15Apparently recognizing the potentially devastating impact of McGahn's testimony, the White House reportedly may assert executive privilege in an effort to block it. But executive privilege -- the notion that certain communications between the President and his advisers should remain confidential -- seems inapplicable here.
Giuliani: McGahn 'hopelessly confused' in report 05:40Mueller was appointed special counsel with a specific and limited mandate: investigate"any links or coordination between the Russian government and any individuals associated with the campaign of President Donald Trump; and any matters that arose or may arise directly from the investigation." But criminal investigations rarely are linear. Prosecutors often discover new and unexpected leads as a case progresses.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Analysis | How the Trump White House shot itself in the foot on Don McGahnAnalysis: It wants to block him from testifying, but it’s already waived its right to executive privilege twice. How the Trump White House shot itself in the foot on Don McGahn.
Read more »
White House Counsel Don McGahn subpoenaed in aftermath of Mueller report findingsThe chairman of the House Judiciary Committee has subpoenaed former White House Counsel Don McGahn for testimony following the release of the report from special counsel Robert S. Mueller III.
Read more »
House panel issues subpoena to former White House counselThe House Judiciary Committee has served former White House counsel Don McGahn with a subpoena as part of its investigation into obstruction of justice, a move to bring in a key player with direct knowledge about President Donald Trump's efforts to undermine the Russia probe, according to a source familiar with the discussion.
Read more »
Opinion | Thank You, Don McGahnOpinion: Trump’s post-report scrap with former White House counsel Don McGahn shows how the President is so often his own worst enemy
Read more »
Democrats subpoena ex-White House counsel Don McGahnBREAKING: The subpoena comes just days after Mueller’s report revealed that McGahn witnessed and testified about potential obstruction of justice by Trump
Read more »
Democrats subpoena former White House counsel Don McGahnHouse Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler issued a subpoena to former White House counsel Don McGahn as part of an ongoing investigation into President Donald Trump.
Read more »