Doppln Mcgahn News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

Or do you think your colleagues need more than one republican to join you in what you're talking about now? >> no question he's a republican, it is officially bipartisan, but the reality is it is typically the case that these inquiries are often when they begin are not bipartisan. it is after production of evidence, after hearing of testimony from witnesses that you expect that if evidence supports impeachment action it will be bipartisan. it is not necessarily bipartisan at the inception. what you want is bipartisanship at the time congress and the house is going to move forward with impeachm...

About a president's duty. for those reasons, the justice department says mcgahn cannot be compelled to testify before congress and he also -- the opinion says if he stiffs congress on the subpoena, he can't be prosecuted or sued civilly. >> you say cannot be compelled. is there any room if mcgahn wanted to appear voluntarily or does this shut down any possibility for the time being that he would appear? >> he could. he could say thank you, i know you don't want me to testify but i want to do it anyway. that doesn't seem very likely but in theory, a person could do that, that's right. >> we men...

He cannot be compelled to appear, they're not making that up out of whole cloth as you said. eight administrations held to this. democrats and republicans held to the standard that the white house staff which is an extension of the president, is not confirmed by the house, doesn't work for the house, doesn't report to the house just as the house doesn't report to the president, cannot be compelled to testify. >> you're making their case on this question of mcgahn. my sense from cicilline and comments he made, too, this would be a broader claim. he talked about this in terms of the white house'...

Of how this would play to the public, does the public see these distinct issues as adding up to something big or does the public still look at this, say mueller, russia, was he a russian algent or not? >> the public has no idea who don mcgahn is. it is great for citizens to be deep in the weeds when they can be. for the most part, the case the democrats are trying to make, you can argue over whether it is successful as you say is a broader question of stonewalling. white house stonewalling into the inquiries. the question is whether the legal, narrow legal reason they might give might be just ...

We can appeal, and the judge said no, i'm not going to stay my opinion. i don't think you have a good chance on appeal. this as of now is in effect. >> pete williams, a lot of legal developments here in the last hour or so. thank you for joining us, helping us break that down. joining us now, somebody in the heart of the fight over don mcgahn's testimony, rhode island congressman david cicilline, member of the house judiciary committee and member of the house democratic leadership, chairman of the democratic policy and communications committee. congressman, thank you for taking a few minutes. ...