White House instructs former counsel McGahn not to comply with congressional subpoena

The White House on Tuesday instructed former administration attorney Donald F. McGahn not to comply with a subpoena from House Democrats as the fight over investigations into President Trump reaches a crescendo.

Current White House counsel Pat Cipollone sent a letter to Mr. McGahn’s attorney, William Burck ordering him not to hand over documents detailing Mr. Trump’s efforts to fire special counsel Robert Mueller.

“The White House records remain legally protected from disclosure under longstanding constitutional principles because they implicate significant Executive Branch confidential interest and executive privilege,” Mr. Cipollone wrote.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, New York Democrat, had subpoenaed Mr. McGahn for access to his records related to efforts to fire Mr. Mueller.

That episode was one of 10 moves by the president that may be possible obstruction of justice, according to the Mueller report. Ultimately, the incident did not amount to obstruction, Mr. Mueller said, because the investigation would have continued under a different special counsel and Mr. McGahn refused to be the president’s hatchet man.