Federal judge denies Athens-area U.S. Rep. Hice's bid to quash subpoena in Trump probe
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A federal judge this week denied U.S. Rep. Jody Hice’s request to quash a subpoena related to an investigation of former President Donald Trump.
This subpoena requires Hice, R-Greensboro, to give testimony to a special grand jury called to review evidence and hear testimony related to alleged attempts by Trump and others to change the outcome of Georgia's results in the 2020 election.
U.S. District Judge Leigh Martin May on Monday signed an order that denied the congressman's motion.
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Hice received the subpoena on June 29. It was issued by the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office and requested his attendance and testimony before the special grand jury on July 19.
On July 18, Hice made his motion to reject the subpoena.
May’s order said that there are certain questions that Hice may be required to answer. She then went on to acknowledge that the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office may be prevented from getting answers to all of their questions.
“We successfully removed this matter to federal court and filed the motion to quash to put the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office on notice that the U.S. Constitution prevents them from asking members of Congress certain questions as part of their 'fishing expedition,' and Judge May acknowledged boundaries in her ruling,” said Chris Gober, counsel to Hice, in a written statement.
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May attributed this to protection given in both the Speech or Debate Clause of the U.S. Constitution and the “high-ranking official” doctrine.
The case was then sent back to a lower court — Superior Court of Fulton County — in order for more development before it can be said which questions Hice has immunity from answering.
"This was the acknowledgment we were seeking, and we're now prepared to go back to Judge May in the future if the District Attorney’s Office tries to color outside the lines," said Gober.
Hice, who will leave office in January after an unsuccessful bid for Georgia secretary of state, was one of several GOP lawmakers who attended a December 2020 meeting at the White House in which Trump allies discussed various ways to overturn Joe Biden’s electoral win.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Judge denies U.S. Rep. Jody Hice's bid to quash subpoena in Trump probe
