White House tells aide who gave Kushner security clearance not to comply with subpoena

The White House has told Carl Kline, who approved Jared Kushner’s security clearance over the objections of career staffers, not to comply with a congressional subpoena.

The reason for his this is because the Oversight Committee won’t allow White House counsel to attend the official’s deposition “to preserve and protect executive branch confidentiality interests”:

NBC NEWS – The White House has told Carl Kline, the former security specialist who approved Jared Kushner’s security clearance over the objections of career staffers, not to comply with a subpoena from the House Oversight Committee, according to a letter obtained by NBC News.

Kline was supposed to appear before committee staff Tuesday to face questions related to his handling of White House security clearances.

But in a letter to Kline’s attorney Robert Driscoll dated Monday, White House Deputy Counsel Michael Purpura said Kline should not appear for an interview if the committee does not allow a member of the White House counsel staff to attend.

Well now Elijah Cummings is spittin’ mad and is threatening a vote on contempt:

THE HILL – House Oversight and Reform Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) on Tuesday blasted the White House for blocking former security clearance official Carl Kline from testifying before his panel and signaled he would seek a vote to hold Kline in contempt of Congress.

In a statement Tuesday afternoon, Cummings accused the White House and Kline of standing in “open defiance of a duly authorized congressional subpoena,” hours after Kline’s attorney Robert Driscoll said he would not appear for a deposition scheduled for the same day to comply with a request from the White House.

“I intend to consult with House Counsel and Committee Members about scheduling a vote on contempt,” Cummings said Tuesday. “I hope that Mr. Kline, in close consultation with his personal attorney, will carefully review his legal obligations, reconsider his refusal to appear, and begin cooperating with the Committee’s investigation.”

It’s the White House that is blocking the subpoena, not Kline. And it appears the White House would gladly allow Kline to go as long as they have someone there to protect their confidentiality interests.

At issue here is that it’s been reported that the CIA felt Kushner should not have a security clearance, but he apparently got one anyway.