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House Intelligence Committee Delays Hope Hicks Testimony

Members want time to work with the White House, which is reportedly telling witnesses to limit what they say.
Posted at 8:51 PM, Jan 18, 2018
and last updated 2018-01-18 20:51:54-05

The House committee investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election unexpectedly delayed an interview with White House Communications Director Hope Hicks. 

Delaying Hicks interview gives members a chance to work with the White House in hopes of achieving a more transparent testimony from Hicks. 

It comes after two previous committee interviews didn't go so well. 

President Trump's former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski testified Wednesday but reportedly didn't say much. House committee members say Lewandowski wouldn't answer questions about anything that occurred after he left the campaign. That prompted some frustration from Rep. Adam Schiff, who called the move "unacceptable." 

But Lewandowski was reportedly a regular chatterbox compared to Trump's former chief strategist Steve Bannon.  

Lawmakers on the committee were fuming after Bannon reportedly wouldn't answer any questions about his time in the White House or during the transition to the White House after Trump's presidential win. 

Lawmakers told Politico the White House instructed Bannon to be tight-lipped. 

The White House is reportedly instructing witnesses to limit their testimony, despite press secretary Sarah Sanders saying they've been and are being "fully cooperative" with the Russia investigation.   

Additional reporting from Newsy affiliate CNN