WASHINGTON, Oct. 28 (Xinhua) -- House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, who is leading an impeachment inquiry against U.S. President Donald Trump, has threatened to charge an ex-official with contempt after he failed to show up for a scheduled deposition.

Charles Kupperman, a former deputy White House national security adviser subpoenaed to testify before House impeachment investigators on Monday, was expected to skip the deposition, as his attorney had asked a federal court for guidance on whether his appearance is legally required.

Schiff, speaking to reporters at Capitol Hill, said that Kupperman's lawsuit "has no basis in law."

"A private citizen cannot sue the Congress to try to avoid coming in when they're served with a lawful subpoena," the California Democrat said. "We will obviously consider his failure to appear as evidence that may warrant a contempt proceedings."

He added that he believes Kupperman's testimony would corroborate allegations that other witnesses have made, while stressing that the impeachment inquiry will "move forward" even if witnesses don't appear.

The impeachment inquiry into Trump was initiated last month by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi after an anonymous whistleblower had raised concerns about the president's interactions with Ukraine.

Trump was alleged to have abused power by using a military aid that Congress approved to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky into investigating former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, the leading 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, so as to help his own re-election campaign.

Kupperman, deputy to former National Security Adviser John Bolton, was reportedly on a July phone call between Trump and Zelensky that was at the center of a whistleblower complaint leading to the impeachment inquiry.

Kupperman was replaced several days after Bolton's departure from the White House last month.

The White House has said it will not provide documents or witnesses to House investigators because it considered the impeachment inquiry unfair and illegitimate.

Trump has denied any wrongdoing and has urged more efforts from Republicans to defend him and challenge the impeachment inquiry, as depositions are turning to the White House and a series of witnesses have testified behind closed doors before House panels.

When speaking to reporters on Monday morning, Trump defended his phone call with Zelensky again while lashing out at Democrats over the impeachment inquiry.

"We had a very good conversation with the Ukrainian president. The conversation was perfect," he said. "They tried to take that conversation and make it into a big scandal."

The remarks came as the Justice Department appealed on Monday a federal judge's ruling that orders the agency to disclose secret portions of the special counsel Robert Mueller's investigative report on the Russia probe to the House Judiciary Committee, in a decision that pointed to the impeachment inquiry.

The appeal asked that the judge's order be put on hold until a federal appeals court has an opportunity to weigh in. Enditem

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