Donald Trump’s ex-chief of staff Mark Meadows cooperating with Capitol attack probe
- The decision to produce records and appear for a deposition has put off for now a threat from US lawmakers to hold the president’s former aide in contempt
- The agreement comes after long-time Trump ally Steve Bannon was charged for defying a subpoena by the investigation panel
Mark Meadows, Donald Trump’s former chief of staff, is cooperating with a House panel investigating the January 6 Capitol insurrection and providing some documents, putting off for now the panel’s threat to hold him in contempt, the committee’s chairman said Tuesday.
But the panel “will continue to assess his degree of compliance”, Mississippi congressman Bennie Thompson said in a statement.
The agreement comes after two months of negotiations between Meadows and the committee and after the Justice Department indicted long-time Trump ally Steve Bannon for defying a subpoena.
Thompson said Meadows has produced records and will soon appear for an initial deposition.
“The Select Committee expects all witnesses, including Mr Meadows, to provide all information requested and that the Select Committee is lawfully entitled to receive,” Thompson said.
Meadows’ lawyer, George Terwilliger, said he was continuing to work with the committee and its staff on a “potential accommodation” that would not require Meadows to waive executive privilege nor “forfeit the long-standing position that senior White House aides cannot be compelled to testify before Congress”, as Trump has argued.