House panel will subpoena key Mueller witness Rob Porter: report

The House Judiciary Committee reportedly plans to subpoena former White House aide Rob Porter as the panel seeks to determine whether it should recommend articles of impeachment.

Politico reported Monday that the committee would subpoena the former White House staff secretary, who was a key witness in former special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation. 

If Porter is subpoenaed, the White House would most likely try to block it, the news outlet noted. The White House has invoked “absolute immunity” in preventing other aides such as former counsel Don McGahn from testifying — a tactic House Democrats have challenged in court.{mosads}

The Hill has reached out to the Judiciary Committee and White House for comment. 

According to Mueller’s report, Porter was present for several instances of possible obstruction of justice. The report said that President Trump told Porter to ask a then-Justice Department official, Rachel Brand, about whether she would oversee the Mueller probe. 

Porter declined to do so “because he was sensitive to the implications of that action and did not want to be involved in a chain of events associated with an effort to end the investigation or fire the special counsel,” the report said. 

Porter left the White House last year amid allegations that he abused his ex-wives. He has denied the accusations.