Former Obama administration National Security Adviser Susan Rice on Wednesday declined a request to testify next week before a Senate subcommittee, citing separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches and the fact that the invitation was not bipartisan.
Rice’s decision to decline the invitation to testify on Russia’s election meddling came in a letter from her lawyer, Kathryn Ruemmler, to the leaders of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism, Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.).
The letter, first reported by CNN, notes that the invitation to testify came only from Graham and that Whitehouse “has informed us by letter that he did not agree to” the request, which Ruemmler calls “a significant departure from the bipartisan invitations extended to other witnesses.”
“Moreover,” Ruemmler writes, “Chairman Graham's invitation was extended only after the hearing was noticed, less than two weeks before the hearing was scheduled to occur, and without consultation with Ambassador Rice, a professional courtesy that would customarily be extended to any witness.”
One can hardly blame Susan Rice for not wanting to subject herself to the kind of harassment by the Republicans that she has been subjected to for years now.
After all she is no longer a part of the Obama Administration, and has already concluded her public service.
Of course as you might imagine this has really disappointed the Republicans who were looking forward to getting a few more shots at one of their favorite targets.
Rep. Trey Gowdy is even threatening to subpoena Rice if she will not come willingly, while Trump took to Twitter to bitch about it publicly.
Susan Rice, the former National Security Advisor to President Obama, is refusing to testify before a Senate Subcommittee next week on.....— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 4, 2017
Clearly the Republicans are going to attempt to obfuscate the evidence about Trump's collusion with the Russians by trying to make this all about the Obama Administration....allegations of unmasking Trump transition officials. Not good!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 4, 2017
Can't blame Susan Rice for not wanting to help them do that.
Source http://ift.tt/2pKXpwB
