Former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski returned to Capitol Hill Thursday to face the House Intelligence Committee for a second time.
Lewandowski first appeared to testify behind closed doors on January 17th but refused to answer questions, claiming he was unprepared.
ABC News caught Lewandowski arriving at the Capitol and asked him if the president had asked him not to answer certain questions.
On whether Pres. Trump had asked him not to answer any of the committee's questions, he tells @jparkABC, "No." https://t.co/0pT4DESfKf pic.twitter.com/ww6U6a25yL
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) March 8, 2018
But Lewandowski spent just three hours with lawmakers Thursday and disappointed again. While Lewandowski claimed he answered "every relevant question they had," Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), top Democrat on the House Intel Committee, says he has asked for a subpoena because witnesses should not be allowed to pick and choose what they will or won't answer.
While Lewandowski did answer some questions Thursday, Schiff of California said that he refused to respond to inquiries about a Trump Tower meeting with Russians in June 2016 or the preparation of a false White House statement about what was discussed once that meeting became public.
Schiff said Lewandowski also balked at questions about Trump’s firing of FBI Director Jim Comey as well as any discussions he may have had with Trump about the possibility of firing Robert Mueller, the special counsel who’s leading the criminal investigation of Russian meddling.
(...)
... Lewandowski hasn’t asserted that the White House asked him not to address certain topics, saying during his initial interview simply that he was unprepared to answer such questions ...
It is unclear whether Republicans on the committee would be willing to issue a subpoena or even enforce it if they did.
CNN:
Steve Bannon was slapped with a subpoena in January during his first appearance before returning for additional questions last month, but he still would not answer questions about his time in the White House. Democrats said he should be held in contempt of Congress, but Conaway has deferred the matter for now.
GOP members seem intent on ending the Russia investigation, even though plenty of stones remain unturned.
Republicans say they have thoroughly examined Moscow’s influence on the 2016 election and they are ready to conclude the probe. They have interviewed every plausible witness who might be able to shed light on potential collusion between the Trump campaign and Moscow, they say.
CNN:
Conaway, the Texas Republican leading the committee's Russia investigation, hasn't ruled out calling additional witnesses, but he's hinted that no big names remain on his list.
"Something may pop up. We're coming toward the end of it," Conaway said when asked about future witnesses. "Every investigation ought to have a conclusion, including this one."
Other committee Republicans have been more forceful in saying it's time to shut down the House Intelligence Russia probe. Rep. Tom Rooney of Florida pointed to the leaks of White House communications director Hope Hicks' testimony last week as reason to end the investigation, while Rep. Pete King of New York says the committee has learned all it can.
"To me, I don't see anything else that's out there that hasn't been explored," King told CNN.
Democrats disagree, as the committee's top Democrat, Rep. Adam Schiff of California, says there are still dozens of witnesses the panel should call, as well as numerous subpoenas it should issue or enforce.
Lawmakers look to take a final crack at Lewandowski (The Hill)
Lewandowski Again Fails to Satisfy House Democrats in Interview (Bloomberg Politics)
Republicans signal end is near for House Russia probe after Lewandowski testimony (CNN)