John Brennan has been ordered to testify before a federal grand jury in Florida next month.
The former CIA director, who served under President Obama, was served with the subpoena last Thursday. His attorney, Ken Wainstein, disclosed it Monday in a federal court filing. Brennan is directed to appear October 15 before a grand jury in Fort Pierce, Florida.
The subpoena is a major escalation in a Justice Department investigation that has been running for approximately a year. As originally reported, prosecutors are examining whether former intelligence and law enforcement officials conspired to violate President Donald Trump’s civil rights.
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The investigation has focused on several episodes involving Trump and federal law enforcement, including the probe into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Prosecutors are working from a theory that officials who investigated Trump on that matter, and others, took part in a wider conspiracy targeting his constitutional rights.
Brennan has denied any wrongdoing. His legal team has pushed back hard, arguing the investigation is politically driven. They contend the administration is coming after Brennan specifically because of his public criticism of Trump and his role in the intelligence community’s assessment of Russian election interference in 2016.
The Fort Pierce grand jury appearance, if it proceeds, would put one of Trump’s most prominent critics from the intelligence world directly in the crosshairs of a federal criminal proceeding. Brennan led the CIA at a critical moment in American political history and has remained outspoken since leaving office.
The investigation now appears to be moving into a more aggressive phase. A subpoena compelling testimony from a former CIA director is not routine. It signals that prosecutors believe they have enough to pursue the inquiry at a serious level and that Brennan’s account of events matters to whatever case they are building.
No charges have been announced. Brennan’s attorneys have not indicated whether they plan to challenge the subpoena in court.
