Fusion GPS officials' brief appearance was the latest development in a long-running public dispute between the committee’s chairman, Rep. Devin Nunes (pictured), and top officials at the firm. | Drew Angerer/Getty Images Fusion GPS officials visit Capitol Hill, won't testify

Officials from Fusion GPS, the firm that commissioned the disputed dossier on President Donald Trump’s connections to Russia, came to the Capitol Wednesday to meet with the House Intelligence Committee and refused to offer any testimony, a company attorney said.

The brief appearance was the latest development in a long-running public dispute between the committee’s chairman, Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), and top officials at the firm.


Fusion lawyer Josh Levy said two officials affiliated with the company joined the committee on the Hill, bowing to the threat of a subpoena that Nunes issued recently. But he said the company officials decided to “invoke constitutional privileges” not to testify.

“No American should have to experience today’s indignity. No American should be required to appear before Congress simply to invoke his constitutional privileges,” Levy said. “But that is what Chairman Nunes did today with our clients at Fusion GPS, breaking with the practice of his committee in this investigation.”

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Nunes’ office declined to comment.

Levy said company officials had cooperated with previous requests from Congress, and its founder, Glenn Simpson, testified for 10 hours before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Company officials have complained that Nunes is attempting to compel them to disclose who funded their opposition research on Trump, which they say would force the company to violate its clients’ guarantee of confidentiality and harm its business model.

Nunes’ Republican allies on the committee say the subpoenas weren’t issued unilaterally by the chairman. In fact, according to a person familiar with the Fusion subpoena, Rep. Mike Conaway (R-Texas), who has helmed the committee’s Russia probe since Nunes stepped aside in April, requested in writing to Nunes that the subpoenas be issued. Nunes — who must sign off on all subpoenas as chairman — affirmed his request, the person said.

