Article snippet: WASHINGTON — The House Judiciary Committee will interview former White House Communications Director Hope Hicks behind closed doors Wednesday, the first time lawmakers will hear from a person linked to the president’s inner circle since the release of special counsel Robert Mueller’s report. Obtaining the testimony from Hicks, a close and trusted former aide to President Donald Trump, is a significant victory for Democrats as Trump has broadly stonewalled their investigations. The committee originally subpoenaed Hicks to give public testimony, but agreed to the closed-door interview after negotiations. A transcript of the session will be released in the days afterward. Still, it is unclear how much new information Hicks will provide. She already cooperated extensively with Mueller’s probe, and a White House lawyer who will be in the room for the interview is expected to try and block her from answering certain questions. In a letter sent Tuesday to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, White House Counsel Pat Cipollone wrote that Trump had directed Hicks not to answer questions ‘‘relating to the time of her service as a senior adviser to the president.’’ Cipollone said Hicks, as one of Trump’s former senior advisers, is ‘‘absolutely immune’’ from compelled testimony with respect to her service to the president because of the separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches. The White House has similarly cited executive privilege w... Link to the full article to read more