Former FBI lawyer Lisa Page, who made headlines when it was revealed that she along with FBI agent Peter Strzok exchanged “anti-Trump,” texts and emails on their government devices while investigating both Hillary Clinton’s emails and Russia ties to President Trump’s campaign, met with committee members on Friday.
Earlier in the week the House Judiciary Committee had issued a subpoena for Page’s testimony, which was due to take place on Wednesday, when according to her attorney Amy Jeffress after having waited three-hours to review documents to prepare for her interview with Committee members had failed to be provided, she asked the committee to reschedule the hearing, they did not, so Page did not meet with committee members Wednesday.
The New York Times reported on Wednesday that House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) along with House Oversight Committee Chair Trey Gowdy (R-SC) sent Page’s attorney a letter stating that Page either agreed to testify publicly on Thursday along with Strzok or behind closed doors on Friday, or be held in contempt of Congress.
Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI) said, via the Times, “Congressional subpoenas for testimony are not optional. We will do what we need to do to protect this branch of government.” Ryan added, “If she wants to come and plead the Fifth, that’s her choice. But a subpoena to testify before Congress is not optional; it’s mandatory.”
Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC) said that Page, via the Times, had made it “very difficult to even serve her with a subpoena.” adding, “The idea that she was willing to come voluntarily and this is all about document review that she’s had the ability to review for seven months — many of which she wrote, by the way — it just does not hold water.”
On Friday after the behind closed-door testimony of Page the Republican’s said via CNN, that they learned new information from Page.
Two Republican congressmen said Page seemed more forthcoming than Strzok’s who had testified publicly on Thursday, because she answered more questions about Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation and Hillary’s email probe.
Meadows stated via CNN that the new information was “significant,” and that it “has been a long time coming,” adding that he found her to be a “very credible witness,” continuing he said that Page had been “falsely accused,” of not wanting to meet and to be cooperative with committee members.
Meadows also stated when asked if Page would testify publicly, “I think at this point, public testimony is not on the horizon.”
The Democrats said the interview of Page was more sedate than the public hearing of Strzok, “It’s much more sedate, much more calm,” said Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, an Illinois Democrat. He added that it was a “situation where we can actually learn what’s going on and the witness can actually answer the question.”
Rep Shelia Jackson Lee (D-TX) quipped, “It’s a closed-door hearing,” adding that Thursday’s hearing had been about “scoring points.”
Page’s testimony to committee members lasted five hours.
Peter Strzok testified behind closed doors with committee members lasting an estimated eleven hours, both classified and unclassified sessions.
On Thursday Strzok publicly testified before the House Judiciary Committee and House Oversight Committee, in a joint session that lasted ten hours.
