Key House Democrats announced on Monday that they are issuing a subpoena to President Donald Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani for documents related to Ukraine as part of the House impeachment inquiry.
"Pursuant to the House of Representatives' impeachment inquiry, we are hereby transmitting a subpoena that compels you to produce the documents set forth in the accompanying schedule by October 15, 2019," wrote Rep. Adam Schiff, chairman of the House Intelligence committee, Rep. Eliot Engel, chairman of Foreign Affairs committee and Rep. Elijah Cummings, chair of the House Oversight committee in a letter to Giuliani.
The letter stated that the subpoena was being issued by the House Intelligence Committee and that the documents will be shared among the two other committees and the House Judiciary Committee.
The move is the latest escalation in the House impeachment inquiry that Democrats are pressing full steam ahead on -- even during a two-week congressional recess -- after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi formally announced it in the wake of outrage over reports that the President had pressured a foreign leader in an effort to target a political rival.
A whistleblower complaint involving Trump's contacts with Ukraine that was released publicly last week alleges that Trump attempted to "solicit interference from a foreign country" in the 2020 election and labels Giuliani as a "central figure" in the controversy.
A transcript of a July phone call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that was also released last week showed Trump repeatedly pushed for Zelensky to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, and his son, Hunter. There is no evidence of wrongdoing by either Joe or Hunter Biden.
Giuliani was discussed as part of that phone call, according to the transcript, with Trump telling the Ukrainian President at one point, "I will have Mr. Giuliani give you a call."
In the letter, the committee chairmen reference an interview that Giuliani did with CNN's Chris Cuomo earlier this month, during which Giuliani denied asking Ukraine to investigate Biden moments before admitting that he had done just that.
"In addition to this stark admission, you stated more recently that you are in possession of evidence -- in the form of text messages, phone records, and other communications -- indicating that you were not acting alone and that other Trump administration officials may have been involved in this scheme," the chairmen wrote.
They continued: "The subpoena requires you to produce all of those communications, and other related documents, to the committees in order to determine the full extent of this effort by the President and his administration to press Ukraine to interfere in our 2020 presidential election."
The chairmen warn Giuliani that if he does not comply with the subpoena, it will amount to obstruction.
"Your failure or refusal to comply with the subpoena, including at the direction or behest of the President or the White House, shall constitute evidence of obstruction of the House's impeachment inquiry and may be used as an adverse inference against you and the President," the chairmen wrote.
CNN has asked Giuliani for comment. He has previously denied any wrongdoing and defended his efforts to get a Ukrainian investigation launched.
