House Democrats release 270-page transcript of Hope Hicks’ closed-door testimony

The House Judiciary Committee on Thursday released an initial transcript of its closed-door interview with Hope Hicks.

Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., said in a statement that lawyers for the Trump administration blocked Hicks from answering questions 155 times during the Wednesday hearing.

Lawyers prevented Hicks, who previously served as White House communications director, from answering questions about the resignation of former national security advisor Michael Flynn and President Donald Trump’s firing of former FBI Director James Comey. Nadler noted that the lawyers also intervened when Hicks was asked about the location of her desk within the West Wing.

The White House did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment on the transcript or testimony.

Hicks did answer questions about opposition research provided by foreign governments. When asked whether she would accept such information, knowing what she knows now after her experience on the 2016 campaign, Hicks said she would not. She also said she would call the FBI if she was approached with information that she felt was “legitimate enough to have our law enforcement dedicate their time to it, sure.”

Q: All right. In your experience now, knowing all that you do, you’ve reflected on it, would you take — I’m asking you this based on your experience and the expertise you’ve developed, would you take foreign oppo information from a foreign government, if that were offered when working on a political campaign?

A: You know, knowing how much chaos has been sowed as a result of something like the Steele dossier, no, I would not.

Q: And, again, I’m asking you about your expert opinion. Would you advise another person to do that if they were in a position to do so?

A: No, I would not.

Q: Would you call the FBI if you were offered such information?

A: If I felt it was legitimate enough to have our law enforcement dedicate their time to it, sure.

Q: If you felt it was genuine or credible, you would call the FBI, right?

A: Yes. Read more

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