Firm behind dirty dossier acts like it has something to hide from Congress

The Hill:
The research firm that produced the controversial dossier containing unverified allegations about President Trump and Russia will reportedly not comply with the House Intelligence Committee's subpoena to testify.

Fusion GPS plans to decline the request of the committee's chairman, Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), to testify before the panel by invoking constitutional privileges, according to a letter obtained by Business Insider on Monday.
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The attorney said the subpoenas would violate "the First Amendment rights" of the firm's three founders, while also saying it would thwart future candidates who are running for public office "from conducting confidential opposition research in an election."

"Should you compel any of our three clients to appear at the scheduled deposition, they will invoke their constitutional privileges not to testify," Levy said in the letter, according to the report. "Since that will be the case, we ask that the Committee excuse them from appearing."

Nunes reportedly issued the subpoenas on Oct. 4, asking for materials and testimony on the opposition research from Fusion GPS sometime later this month or early in November.
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I don't understand the basis for making a "First Amendment rights" claim.  I think they may be more concerned about the optics of making a Fourth Amendment claim against self-incrimination.  Giving testimony before Congress does not involve prior restraint of speech since it is already on the record.  I do not think the courts have ever recognized such a claim.

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