Pence aides decline to talk about direct conversations with Trump even as they answer other questionsKatelyn Polantz, Ryan Nobles, Gloria Borger and Jamie GangelTop aides to Vice President Mike Pence did not discuss direct conversations with former President Donald Trump over several hours of questioning in recent interviews with the House select committee investigating the January 6 insurrection, three sources familiar with the probe tell CNN.
The aides, Marc Short and Greg Jacob, drew that line on what they'd be willing to discuss because Trump's legal team had instructed them not to reveal presidential conversations that the former President's lawyers believe should be covered under executive privilege, the sources said.
The committee was aware there would be privilege concerns. The privilege claims rarely came into play during the uncontentious interviews, and the Pence aides only declined to answer a few questions, according to sources. The witnesses did answer questions about conversations they had with the vice president, the sources said.
The parameters set in the interviews are the latest indication that Trump still seeks to keep secret his actions in the White House up to and on January 6, 2021 -- and reveal some details about exactly how his legal team is trying to do that.
Specifically, Trump's team is invoking the presidential communications privilege that protects from disclosure communications with the president directly so that there can be candor in executive branch decision-making.
As CNN has reported, Pence would prefer his aides act as the former vice president's "proxy" so he does not have to appear. And deferring to Trump on executive privilege claims sends a message to the former President and his base that Pence and his aides are not crossing him.
Representatives for Short, Jacob and the Trump campaign didn't respond to requests for comment this week.
Trump's legal team is still trying to draw lines around executive privilege despite losing a lawsuit against the House investigation at the Supreme Court. Also this week ...
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