Former US President Donald Trump.
Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images
- U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan ruled that former President Donald Trump prevented access to his White House records.
- Chutkan acknowledged the “legislative power” of the committee investigating the attack on the U.S. Capitol and allowed access to records.
- The U.S. House of Representatives committee stated that it needs the requested materials to understand Trump’s possible role in inciting riots.
WASHINGTON-A federal judge ruled on Tuesday that the U.S. House of Representatives committee investigating the fatal attack on the U.S. Capitol has access to the White House records of former President Donald Trump, which apparently won Congress oversight.
U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan for the District of Columbia dismissed Trump’s lawyer’s argument that phone records, visitor records, and other White House documents should be concealed from the committee.
Chutkan said in her decision:
Despite their broad scope, these requests and every other request made by the committee did not exceed the committee’s legislative powers.
Trump argued that the materials requested by the House committee are protected by a legal principle called executive privilege, which protects the confidentiality of some White House communications.
He requested an injunction to prevent the National Archives of the federal agency that keeps his White House records from complying with the Commission’s requirements for hundreds of pages of documents.
Trump’s lawyer Jesse Binnal did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Trump promptly filed a court notice stating that he would appeal the decision.
“Executive power” restrictions
The committee said it needed the requested materials to understand Trump’s possible role in inciting riots.
“This is a big deal,” US Rep. Benny Thompson, chairman of the House Special Committee, said in an interview with CNN. “I look forward to receiving this information. I expect our investigators to carefully examine it with a fine-toothed comb to ensure that our government has not weaponized its citizens.”
Chutkan said Trump did not admit to “respecting” President Joe Biden’s decision that the committee can access the material.
Chutkan says:
His (Trump’s) position that can override the clear will of the executive branch seems to be premised on the “permanence” of his executive power.
“But the president is not the king, and the plaintiff is not the president.”
Trump gave an inflammatory speech before attacking the Capitol, reiterating his false claim that the November 2020 election was stolen from him through extensive voting fraud and urged his supporters to go to the Capitol , “Fight desperately” to “stop theft”.
His supporters rushed into the Capitol and failed to prevent Congress from officially proving Biden’s election victory. Democrat Biden took office on January 20.
Approximately 700 people are facing criminal charges due to the riots.
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