Two nonprofits tied to Neville Roy Singham have rejected a House Ways and Means Committee ultimatum to hand over financial records, even as the panel threatens to call their staff in for depositions. One group's lawyers said the threat amounts to "holding the staff of BreakThrough News hostage."

The House Ways and Means Committee has given The People’s Forum, BreakThrough News and Tricontinental until Tuesday, Oct. 20, to turn over records demanded in July subpoenas. The committee says the groups are tied to Neville Roy Singham and warns their leaders could face questioning under oath. The groups call the probe an attack on the First Amendment. Here is what the committee is demanding and what each side says.