Page’s Attorney Slams House Republicans’ ‘Bullying Tactics’
Judiciary Chairman Goodlatte says former FBI lawyer appears to have ‘something to hide’ in refusing subpoena
Updated 10:33 a.m. | The attorney for former FBI lawyer Lisa Page, who refused to testify Wednesday before the House Judiciary Committee, said her client plans to testify and that the committee’s “bullying tactics” are unnecessary.
In a statement released Wednesday, Amy Jeffress said Page requires more time.
“Through her actions and words, Lisa has made it abundantly clear that she will cooperate with this investigation,” Jeffress said. “All she is asking is to be treated as other witnesses have under the Committees’ own rules.”
Page and FBI counterintelligence agent Peter Strzok, with whom she was having an extramarital affair, have been a target of congressional Republicans critical of the agency’s investigations into Hillary Clinton’s email server and possible Russian meddling in the 2016 election.
The two exchanged text messages saying “we’ll stop” a Trump presidency, a report by the FBI inspector general found.
Strzok is set to testify before the Judiciary Committee and the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on Thursday.
Jeffress said she received a message from the Department of Justice at 11 p.m. on Tuesday night granting Page’s request to review documents related to the investigation.
Judiciary Chairman Robert W. Goodlatte criticized Page in a statement Tuesday night.
“It appears that Lisa Page has something to hide,” he said.
Goodlatte said Page knew “for months” the committee wanted her to testify as part of its joint investigation with the House Intelligence Committee.
“Lisa Page is a key witness, and it is critical that she come before our committees to answer questions as part of our investigation,” he said.
Similarly, Florida Rep. Ron DeSantis called Page’s unwillingness to testify “pathetic.”
Anti-Trump FBI lawyer Lisa Page is defying a congressional subpoena because she doesn’t want to answer questions or be held accountable. Pathetic.
— Ron DeSantis (@RepDeSantis) July 11, 2018
Rep. Jim Jordan said Page’s unwillingness to testified showed a “double standard.”
Lisa Page ignores congressional subpoena, once again showing the double standard. One set of rules for regular Americans, a different set for the Swamp!
— Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) July 11, 2018
Jeffress said in her Wednesday statement that Page has already offered 36 hours of testimony to the Justice Department’s inspector general’s office.
“There is no basis for claims that Lisa has anything to hide or is unwilling to testify,” she said, adding that the Oversight and Judiciary committees’ “bullying tactics here are unnecessary.”
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