From Consortium News
The House Intelligence Committee, as part of its Russia-gate investigation, has issued a subpoena demanding the testimony of journalist-activist-and-satirist Randy Credico presumably because he produced a series on WikiLeaks founder and editor Julian Assange, who oversaw the publication of leaked Democratic Party emails in 2016.
"Joe McCarthy is back," said Credico, who traced the committee's actions "to my 14-part series on Assange, 'Julian Assange: Countdown to Freedom,' which includes Wikileaks founder, Julian Assange, his mom, and some of the most significant U.S. government intelligence agency whistleblowers in modern history. They [the Russia-gate investigators] also abhor my recent visits with Assange [at the Ecuadorian embassy in London], where he is still in exile after five and a half years."
Credico, a journalistic contributor to the Flashpoints program on Pacifica Radio, was served the subpoena through his lawyer Martin Stolar in New York City. The subpoena was dated Nov. 27 and followed a request for Credico's "voluntary" testimony that he rebuffed. The subpoena demands Credico's appearance on Capitol Hill on Dec. 15.
A letter dated Nov. 9 from Rep. Adam Schiff, the ranking Democrat on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, in effect, demanded Credico's "voluntary" cooperation with the panel's "bipartisan investigation into Russian active measures directed at the 2016 US election."
Schiff also requested "the preservation and production of all documents, records, electronically-stored information, recordings, data and tangible things, including but not limited to graphs, charts, photographs, images and other documents, regardless of form other than those widely available (e.g. newspaper articles) related to the committee's investigation, your interview and any ancillary matters."
Credico told the Flashpoints show that he would not give testimony voluntarily and, if subpoenaed, he would not cooperate with the House Intelligence Committee's Russia-gate investigation. His lawyer informed the committee of Credico's position and was told that Credico would receive a subpoena to compel his testimony.
I spoke with Credico in New York City on the morning of Nov. 27 before the subpoena arrived.
Dennis Bernstein: I am looking at a letter dated Nov. 9, 2017. It says, "Dear Mr. Credico, as part of its bipartisan investigation into Russian active measures directed at the 2016 US election, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence requires that you participate in a voluntary, transcribed interview at the committee offices." What is this letter about and what is your response?
Randy Credico: I have no idea what they want from me specifically. I did a 14-part series on Julian Assange.
Dennis Bernstein: I want to read a little more from this letter. It says, "We respectfully ask that you produce to the committee by no later than November 24 your availability for the interview during the time identified above." You're not going, are you?
Randy Credico: I have declined to voluntarily testify. The counsel for the committee told my lawyer that I would be subpoenaed.
Dennis Bernstein: Will you respond to a subpoena?
Randy Credico: I am very reluctant to give credence to a broad-based witch hunt such as this.
Dennis Bernstein: Let me read on: "This letter also requests preservation and production of all documents, records, electronically-stored information, recordings, data and tangible things, including but not limited to graphs, charts, photographs, images and other documents, regardless of form other than those widely available (e.g. newspaper articles) related to the committee's investigation, your interview and any ancillary matters."
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