Pardoned Trump ally will only agree to hand over documents if he can testify publicly to Jan 6 committee

Bernie Kerik, a former New York City police chief and friend to Rudy Giuliani, has agreed to hand over documents to the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack, but only if they agree to let him testify publicly. The committee wants information about the "command center" that was stationed at the Willard Hotel during the attack, reporter Betsy Woodruff Swan wrote Thursday.

When Kerik was first called his lawyers sent out a letter to the committee saying that he wasn't even there. The problem is that President Donald Trump's campaign gave $225,000 in payments to the firms owned by Kerik and Giuliani. Those funds include more than $50,000 for rooms and suites at the Willard. The committee also cited the book by Bob Woodward and Robert Costa, which discusses Giuliani's attendance, but doesn't mention Kerik.

“If you were not personally responsible for this fabrication and false statements, then someone on your staff was and should be held accountable,” the letter continues. “Someone either intentionally fabricated this claim, or someone failed at the simple task of carefully reading the sources before writing a letter claiming that the sources ‘have revealed credible evidence.’”

A week after the statement was released, Kerik said that he will comply with the subpoena, hand over the documents they're seeking and he will testify.

READ MORE: Trump claims to waive attorney-client privilege so Bernie Kerik can testify to Jan 6 committee

He then gave mixed messages, saying that whatever work Kerik did is covered by lawyer/client privilege because Giuliani's firm was working for the Trump campaign. Kerik, who isn't a lawyer, has his own company, The Kerik Group. If he was paid through that and not through Giuliani he may not have a case to claim lawyer/client privilege.

Kerik was among the pardons that Trump issued before leaving office. He was sentenced to four years in prison, pleading guilty to eight felony charges including tax fraud and lying to White House officials during his failed nomination to be the first Secretary of Homeland Security by George W. Bush.

Read the full report.