Former Trump White House counsel subpoenaed by federal grand jury

Aug. 3 (UPI) -- A lawyer who once served as former President Donald Trump's White House counsel was subpoenaed Wednesday by a federal grand jury investigating possible interference in the 2020 Presidential election.

Attorneys for former White House counsel Pat Cipollone and the Justice Department are in discussions about the grand jury appearance, including how to deal with executive privilege issues, according to ABC, CNN and the New York Times.

The Justice Department had not issued any official comment on the subpoena as of 6 pm ET Wednesday.

In July, Cipollone testified in front of the Jan. 6 House Select Committee, providing testimony about the attack on the U.S. Capitol and "reinforcing" alleged misconduct by Trump during the riots.

At the time, Cipollone expressed concern about some questions that may have required him to invoke executive privilege.

"The Select Committee's investigation has revealed evidence that Mr. Cipollone repeatedly raised legal and other concerns about President Trump's activities on Jan. 6th and in the days that preceded," panel Chair Rep. Bennie Thompson and Vice Chair Rep. Liz Chaney said in a joint statement at the time.

Cipollone, 56, would become the most senior known member of the Trump White House to be called in front of the grand jury.

The former vice presidential chief of staff to Mike Pence testified in late July in front of a grand jury investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

Marc Short was the highest-ranking Trump White House official known to have appeared before the grand jury and one of two of Pence's aides to testify.