Bernard Kerik, a former New York City police commissioner involved with former President Trump’s efforts to retain control of the White House, will sit for a voluntary interview with the committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, his attorney told The Hill Tuesday.
Timothy Parlatore, Kerik’s attorney, said the two initially planned to appear for but then walk out of a slated Thursday deposition with the committee in objection to Republicans’ role within the panel’s structure. But he said the committee has since agreed to allow Kerik to appear outside of a formal deposition.
“I believe that they lack the authority to conduct depositions. However, Mr. Kerik does want to meet with them and to provide them with information and so therefore, we will do it by voluntary interview,” Parlatore said.
The committee did not immediately respond to request for comment on the arrangement.
While Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) serves as the committee’s vice chair, some have argued Republicans must have a ranking member to comply with House rules — though the matter has never been addressed by the courts.
Parlatore said he was prepared to file such a suit after Thursday’s deposition, asking the courts to rule on whether they “have the power to conduct depositions because they don’t have the proper constitution.”
Kerik helped coordinate space for the Trump team’s “war room” at the Willard Hotel. He previously told The Washington Post that his firm billed the Trump campaign more than $55,000 for rooms for the legal team and another $10,000 in other travel expenses. He also reportedly led campaign efforts to investigate claims of voter fraud.
Kerik has already shared a trove of documents with the committee.
The committee and Parlatore have been in negotiations over Kerik’s appearance for some time, with Parlatore initially suggesting Kerik would only testify in a public setting.