WASHINGTON — The Senate Judiciary Committee has issued a subpoena ordering Paul Manafort, President Donald Trump’s former campaign manager, to testify in a public hearing Wednesday, CBS News has confirmed.
Republican Senator Chuck Grassley and Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein made the announcement Tuesday.
The two senators said they were unable to reach an agreement with Manafort for a voluntary transcribed interview with the committee on the enforcement of the Foreign Agents Registration Act and Russia’s attempts to influence U.S. elections.
“While the Judiciary Committee was willing to cooperate on equal terms with any other committee to accommodate Mr. Manafort’s request, ultimately that was not possible. Therefore, yesterday evening, a subpoena was issued to compel Mr. Manafort’s participation in Wednesday’s hearing.”
The news comes as President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner returns to Capital Hill to continue his testimony before the House Intelligence Committee.
On Monday, Kushner released a lengthy statement ahead of his appearances, saying flatly that he did not collude with anyone from Russia or any other foreign government and has not used Russian money to finance his real estate deals.
“I did not collude, nor know of anyone else in the campaign who colluded, with any foreign government,” Kushner said in his written statement. “I had no improper contacts. I have not relied on Russian funds to finance my business activities in the private sector. I have tried to be fully transparent with regard to the filing of my SF-86 form, above and beyond what is required. Hopefully, this puts these matters to rest.”
The pair of appearances by Kushner — both in private — marks an escalation for the congressional probes, spurred in large part by the revelation by Donald Trump Jr. that he, Kushner and former campaign chairman Paul Manafort met privately with a Russian lawyer who reportedly planned to deliver dirt on Hillary Clinton from the Kremlin.
