Mulvaney Drops Lawsuit Plan, Defies House Subpoena

Law.com reports:

Mick Mulvaney on Tuesday said he would defy a U.S. congressional subpoena seeking his testimony as part of the impeachment inquiry, abruptly dropping plans to file a lawsuit confront whether House Democrats could force him to sit for questioning.

The about-face came a day after Mulvaney’s lawyer, William Pittard of Washington’s KaiserDillon, told a Washington federal trial judge that the acting White House chief of staff would file his own suit confronting the power of House Democrats to compel top Trump officials to testify.

“After further consideration, Mr. Mulvaney does not intend to pursue litigation regarding the deposition subpoena issued to him by the U.S. House of Representatives,” Pittard said in a court filing Tuesday. “Rather, he will rely on the direction of the President, as supported by an opinion of the Office of Legal Counsel of the U.S. Department of Justice, in not appearing for the relevant deposition.

Mulvaney reverses and drops plans to sue over subpoena; says he will abide by Justice and WH demands not to comply with House impeachment inquiry. “After further consideration, Mr. Mulvaney does not intend to pursue litigation … he will rely on the direction of the President”

— Manu Raju (@mkraju) November 12, 2019