In particular, your letter pertains to Ms. Yates?s potential disclosure to HPSCI of ?non-
classi?ed facts about the Department?s noti?cation to the White House of concerns about the
conduct of a senior official.? We appreciate your meeting at the Department on March 23, 2017,
to provide additional information about the details of these communications with the White
House that you believe may be responsive to Committee inquiries.
Ms. Yates seeks authorization to testify about communications she and a senior
Department official had with the Office of the Counsel to the President. Such communications
are likely covered by the presidential communications privilege and possibly the deliberative
process privilege. The President owns those privileges. Therefore, to the extent Ms. Yates needs
consent to disclose the details of those communications to HPSCI, she needs to consult with the
White House. She need not obtain separate consent from the Department.