“We are talking about documents which, in essence, relate to the exercise of power,” retorted the judge to the former president’s lawyers, who do not want to disclose the exchanges held on January 6.
A lawyer for Donald Trump on Thursday asked a federal judge to prevent the transmission to Congress of thousands of documents relating to the actions of the former president in the storming of the Capitol on January 6, but the magistrate did not appear convinced by her arguments. The Republican billionaire wants to keep secret these documents, including the lists of people who visited or called him that day, as claimed by a parliamentary commission in the hands of the Democrats.
This “special committee” of the House of Representatives was set up to assess the role played by Donald Trump in the attack led by his supporters on the seat of Congress, when elected officials certified the victory of Joe Biden in the presidential. Donald Trump, who denies any responsibility for the attack, denounces “a political game” and refuses to collaborate. He went to court in the name of a prerogative of the executive power to keep his communications confidential, even in the event of summons issued by Congress.
Authorized by the White House
“Former presidents have the right to invoke this prerogative,” argued his lawyer Justin Clark on Thursday at a hearing in Washington. But “the best person to judge whether the prerogative of the executive applies is in the executive,” retorted Judge Tanya Chutkan, recalling that the current tenant of the White House Joe Biden had authorized the National Archives to deliver these documents to Congress.
“We are not talking about bank statements or accounting records of your client before he becomes president. […] but from notes on her exchanges when people broke windows and entered the Capitol, ”she added, referring to previous legal battles. “We are talking about documents which, in essence, relate to the exercise of power,” said Judge Chutkan. However, she granted the lawyer a concession on the number of documents requested, promising to render her decision “quickly”.
–
