WASHINGTON, Sept 30 (Reuters) – The U.S. House of Representatives Intelligence Committee issued a subpoena on Monday to President Donald Trump’s lawyer Rudy Giuliani, seeking documents in their impeachment inquiry.
The Democrat-run intelligence panel issued the subpoena in consultation with the House Foreign Affairs and Oversight committees. They said in a statement that Giuliani had said on national television that he asked the government of Ukraine to “target” former Vice President Joe Biden.
Giuliani was asked to hand over documents related to Trump’s effort to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymry Zelenskiy to investigate Biden, a top contender for the Democratic nomination to run against Trump as the Republican president seeks re-election in 2020.
The three committee chairmen said letters were also sent seeking documents and setting deposition dates for businessman Lev Parnas and real estate investor Igor Fruman, who, according to various media accounts, helped introduce Giuliani into top Ukrainian political circles.
A letter was also sent to Semyon “Sam” Kislin, a Ukrainian immigrant who has had business ties to Trump and served on Giuliani’s city economic development corporation when Giuliani was mayor of New York.
Parnas’ deposition was set for Oct. 10, Fruman’s for Oct. 11 and Kislin’s for Oct. 14.