Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC) suggested on Fox News Thursday morning that Congress may soon subpoena former Obama national security adviser Susan Rice to appear in a closed-door setting. His comments came after Rice declined a request to testify next week before a Senate subcommittee, with Rice citing “separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches and the fact that the invitation was not bipartisan.”
Many Republican members of Congress are interested in questioning Rice about her unmasking of names from surveillance records, particularly her requests to unmask the names of Trump transition officials caught up in incidental surveillance.
President Trump brought attention to the issue on Twitter this morning, criticizing Rice for refusing Sen. Lindsey Graham’s invitation to appear before the Senate Judiciary subcommittee — which is holding a hearing looking into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election — on Monday:
Susan Rice, the former National Security Advisor to President Obama, is refusing to testify before a Senate Subcommittee next week on…..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 4, 2017
…allegations of unmasking Trump transition officials. Not good!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 4, 2017
Gowdy quipped:
There are other ways to invite people other than via letter. There are things called subpoenas. … You shouldn’t have to use it with a former national security adviser but if you do, you do.
He called Rice a “very important witness” who may feel like she can’t testify in an open setting, and suggested she be invited to testify before the committee in a closed door hearing instead.
Members of the House intelligence committee, which Gowdy sits on, is questioning FBI Director James Comey and NSA Director Mike Rogers today behind closed doors. Asked to respond to Comey’s testimony before the Senate yesterday, Gowdy said:
He is a foundational witness who touches on all tranches of Russia and masking and unmasking and dissemination of classified information.
I don’t think he told Secretary Clinton to have her own server. I don’t think he told her to give disingenuous answers to questions throughout the campaign. I don’t think he told Anthony Weiner to communicate via texts with underage girls, so I don’t see how any of this is Jim Comey’s fault.
He added, of Comey:
Someone was going to criticize him no matter what he did. He did what he thought was right.
https://youtu.be/nSCCMxYF2c4
The House Russia investigation is proceeding under the leadership of Reps. Gowdy, Mike Conaway (R-TX), and Tom Rooney (R-FL). Another public hearing has been scheduled with Yates, former CIA Director John Brennan, and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper.
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