Trump White House lawyer Pat Cipollone appears before Jan. 6 grand jury

The two attorneys received federal grand jury subpoenas about four weeks ago for testimony and documents about that day and events leading up to it, CNN first reported. Their expected appearance Friday was reported by ABC News, and it followed grand jury appearances in July by former vice president Mike Pence’s former chief of staff, Marc Short, and attorney Greg Jacob.

It was not immediately clear what Cipollone or Philbin would discuss with the grand jury, and whether their testimony would steer clear of private presidential communications typically subject to executive and attorney-client privilege.

Cipollone and his attorney Michael M. Purpura walked into the federal courthouse in Washington shortly after 9:30 a.m., where they were greeted by lead federal prosecutor Thomas Windom and escorted to an elevator leading to the grand jury area.

Cipollone left the building alone shortly after noon. Philbin went to the same area from about 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. before leaving the courthouse with Purpura, who represents both men. None commented to reporters.

Justice Dept. investigating Trump’s actions in Jan. 6 criminal probe

Cipollone was the top White House lawyer at the end of the Trump administration, and he has emerged in several public accounts as a key witness to and critic of conversations held by the then-president with private lawyers and others in his inner circle who allegedly sought to substitute Trump allies for certified electors from some states Joe Biden won; pressure the Justice Department to falsely claim the election was rigged with fraudulent votes cast; or propose the seizure of voting machines by the U.S. attorney general, secretary of defense or other federal officials.

In videotaped testimony played at televised hearings this summer held by the House select committee investigating events leading to the Capitol breach, Cipollone told investigators that he vigorously resisted efforts by Trump and outside advisers to undo the election, and that he, like former Trump attorney general William P. Barr, did not believe there was sufficient fraud to have affected the outcome of Biden’s victory in any state.

At a late-night meeting at the White House on Dec. 18, 2020, that Cipollone termed…