The House Intelligence Committee intends to subpoena the chief negotiator on the Trump Tower Moscow project after the former Trump business associate failed to appear for his testimony.
Felix Sater is a key witness in House Democrats’ investigation into President Trump’s ties with Russia, and was scheduled to testify on Friday morning but never showed, according to Politico.
A spokesman for committee Chairman Adam Schiff of California said Democrats intend to force Sater to appear after he missed his voluntary interview.
“The committee had scheduled a voluntary staff-level interview with Mr. Sater, but he did not show up this morning as agreed,” Schiff spokesman Patrick Boland said. “As a result, the committee is issuing a subpoena to compel his testimony.”
Sater says he is negotiating to reschedule the interview.
Democrats are attempting to establish whether the Kremlin has undue influence over the Trump administration because of the president’s past business dealings in the country.
Sater worked with former Trump attorney Michael Cohen to build a Trump Tower in Moscow in 2015 and 2016. The proposed skyscraper was never built. Cohen is currently serving time in prison for tax fraud and other crimes.
