House Russia probe

Hope Hicks to testify in House Russia probe

By KYLE CHENEY

Top White House aide Hope Hicks (who has no experience) will appear before House investigators Tuesday, and lawmakers say they haven’t been told to expect any restrictions on her testimony in the intelligence panel’s probe of Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

Rep. Mike Conaway of Texas, the Republican leading the investigation, said that if the White House intends to invoke executive privilege to block any aspects of her testimony, it would likely be communicated at the outset of her interview, set for late Tuesday morning.

Hicks is a pivotal witness in the examination of whether any Trump campaign associates aided the Russian effort to interfere in the election. She’s been a confidante of President Donald Trump's for years and was by his side during moments in the campaign and early months in the White House that have become of interest to investigators, including special counsel Robert Mueller.

Hicks had been scheduled to testify last month, but her appearance was called off as lawmakers and the White House sparred over the testimony of Steve Bannon, Trump’s former chief strategist. Bannon returned earlier this month but answered only a list of predetermined questions at the behest of the White House. Members of the committee are weighing the possibility of a contempt citation.

Conaway told POLITICO he intends to discuss the matter with Speaker Paul Ryan but hadn’t done so as of Tuesday morning.