After slamming the Washington Post for what he called an "absolutely false" report about the White House blocking former Acting Attorney General Sally Yates from testifying in front of Congress on Russia, Press Secretary Sean Spicer said Tuesday he would welcome her to do so.
"I hope she testifies," Spicer said during the daily press briefing. "We have no problem with her testifying. Plain and simple. The report in the Washington Post is 100 percent false."
"The White House took no action that prevented Ms. Yates from testifying," Spicer continued.
Spicer went on to explain executive privilege was not invoked by the President to prevent Yates from testifying or to keep any of her knowledge away from the public.
The Yates controversy continues as House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes is under heavy fire for abruptly canceling the hearing where she was supposed to testify. He canceled the hearing shortly after he met with officials at the White House.
Was today's open hearing cancelled because WH did not want Sally Yates to testify re Gen Flynn's deception? Didn't want to assert privilege? pic.twitter.com/qO63IfPtAP
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) March 28, 2017
As a reminder, President Trump fired Yates earlier this year after she refused to enforce his first executive order banning refugees and visa holders from seven African and Middle Eastern countries. She also investigated former White House National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, who resigned in February.