Appeals court wants answers on impact of impeachment in McGahn case

Less than an hour after the first impeachment vote was gaveled to a close, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals issued a pair of orders directing House lawyers to indicate whether lawmakers are still seeking testimony from former White House counsel Don McGahn and portions of special counsel Robert Mueller’s report containing information gleaned from secret grand jury testimony.

Both orders raised the issue of whether the pending appeals may be moot and whether the cases, set to be argued on Jan. 3, should still be considered on an expedited basis. The court is demanding answers, and views from the Justice Department, by Monday afternoon.

The moves by the appeals court tee up the question of whether the House plans to press its position in a variety of cases stemming from subpoenas for testimony from Trump aides, as well as efforts to obtain Trump’s financial records, including his tax returns.