Committee Chair To Don McGahn: "Our Subpoenas Are Not Optional"

Former White House lawyer Don McGahn chose to defy a subpoena from the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday morning.

While the House reps showed up, Chairman Jerrold Nadler was irritated upon seeing an empty chair instead of McGahn.

In a statement, Nadler told the chamber, “Our subpoenas are not optional,” and declared that “this committee will hear McGahn’s testimony, even if we have to go to court to secure it.”

.@RepJerryNadler: "When this committee issues a subpoena -- even to a senior presidential adviser -- the witness must show up. Our subpoenas are not optional."

Nadler goes on to describe McGahn's failure to appear "as part of [Trump's] broader efforts to cover up his misconduct" pic.twitter.com/PGRwVasbTc

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 21, 2019

NADLER: "Let me be clear: This committee will hear McGahn's testimony, even if we have to go to court to secure it... we will not allow POTUS to block congressional subpoenas, putting himself & his allies above the law... we will hold POTUS accountable one way or the other." pic.twitter.com/BreoMf5H1D

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 21, 2019

What is Don McGahn hiding? What is @realDonaldTrump hiding from the American people?

We will hold McGahn in contempt. We will litigate this in the courts. And we will win. pic.twitter.com/EZGR8OeO0q

— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) May 21, 2019

Mnuchin deserves to be in jail. McGahn deserves to be in jail. If you or I ignored a Congressional subpoena, we would be in jail. Are we a nation of laws? Or are we a nation of outlaws?

— Barbara Malmet (@B52Malmet) May 21, 2019