This Thursday, Republican members of the House Intelligence Committee voted down a motion calling for the subpoena of the interpreter who was present during President Trump‘s Helsinki meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin, The Hill reports.
The motion was put forth by Adam Schiff (D-CA).
“It is our motion that the interpreter be subpoenaed to come and testify in closed session before our committee,” Schiff said during a public hearing.
According to Schiff, the interpreter could have key details about the exchange that could shed light Trump’s dealings with Putin and Russia.
“I regret that we have to request this in today’s meeting. We requested a business meeting next week, but that request has been declined,” Schiff said.
“This may be our last opportunity before we go into an extended recess to vote to subpoena the interpreter and find out if there are any other national security problems that arose from this meeting.”
BREAKING: @RepSwalwell and I just made a motion in House Intel Committee to subpoena the American interpreter during the summit — the only witness to Trump’s meeting with Putin. This is an extraordinary remedy, but Trump’s actions necessitate it.
Republicans voted it down.
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) July 19, 2018
Although the motion was made at a hearing titled, “China’s threat to American government and private sector research and innovation leadership,” Schiff justified his request by pointing out that Trump had a “disastrous summit with Vladimir in Helsinki.”
“One of the issues that’s come about as a result of the public comments he has made during that summit is what took place in the private two-hour meeting that the president had alone with Mr. Putin,” he said. “It appears there were commitments made in that meeting that affect American national security interests.”
House Intel Committee Chairman Devin Nunes (R-CA) ruled that Schiff’s motion was out of order, prompting Schiff to request a vote.
After a vote down that fell along party lines, Schiff’s motion was shut down.
Featured image via Gage Skidmore (Flickr)
