Sens. Chuck Grassley and Ron Johnson, the chairmen of two powerful Senate committees, wrote to a former aide to Hillary Clinton Friday offering a possible immunity deal after the aide invoked his Fifth Amendment rights against testifying.
Bryan Pagliano, a former State Department IT analyst and Clinton campaign staffer, has rebuffed inquiries from the Senate Judiciary Committee, which Grassley chairs, the House Select Committee on Benghazi and the Senate Homeland Security Committee, which Johnson chairs.
Pagliano has also declined questions from FBI investigators and the State Department inspector general.
Grassley and Johnson indicated in a letter to Pagliano that they would consider some form of immunity deal in exchange for the former Clinton aide’s testimony.
“The committees have the authority to obtain an immunity order, to acquire the information they need, while also protecting your right against self-incrimination,” the letter said.
The senators asked Pagliano’s attorney to meet with staff from both committees in order to hammer out an agreement for Clinton’s former IT manager to testify, citing the “unique information” he possesses.
One suggestion they put forward was the possibility of a “proffer session,” which would allow Pagliano to tell lawmakers about his knowledge of potentially illegal activity without facing direct consequences for his own involvement.
Clinton admitted over the weekend to paying Pagliano directly for services he rendered to her private server, which was reportedly set up in the basement of her Chappaqua home. In addition, Pagliano was on the State Department’s payroll as a technical analyst.
The agency refused to comment Tuesday on State Department policies for reporting outside income, such as the out-of-pocket payments Pagliano received from the Clintons.
