If
former chief of staff Mark Meadows does not produce the
documents and appear for testimony at 10 a.m. EST (1500 GMT),
the House of Representatives Select Committee will view his
actions as willful non-compliance, the panel's Democratic
chairman, Representative Bennie Thompson, said in a letter to
Meadows' attorney.
The committee announced in September that it had subpoenaed
Meadows, citing reports the former House member had communicated
with state and federal officials - including members of Congress
- as part of an effort to overturn the Republican Trump's defeat
in the 2020 presidential election by Democrat Joe Biden.
It said then it wanted Meadows to testify and hand over
documents by mid-October. The two sides had been negotiating
since.
Thompson said Meadows has not produced even a single document.
"Although you previously indicated that your firm was searching
records that Mr. Meadows provided to you, more than enough time
has passed for you to complete your review," the letter to
Meadows' attorney George Terwilliger said.
Thompson said willful noncompliance with its subpoena could
result in a referral from the House to the Department of Justice
for criminal contempt charges, as well as the possibility of
having a civil action to enforce the subpoena brought against
Meadows.
The House voted last month https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-house-edges-toward-contempt-charges-against-trump-aide-bannon-2021-10-21
to hold Trump senior adviser Steve Bannon in contempt and refer
his case to Justice.
Terwilliger did not immediately respond to a request for
comment. He had issued a statement earlier on Thursday
suggesting Meadows would not cooperate with the committee until
all legal disputes were resolved.
Trump has filed suit to avoid turning over White House documents
and urged former aides to reject subpoenas.
(Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)
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