Reuters.- An American judge on Thursday heard arguments from Donald Trump’s attorneys that hundreds of pages of his White House records be vetoed from a House committee investigating the Jan.6 assault on Capitol Hill by a crowd of his supporters.
District Judge Tanya Chutkan is evaluating the former Republican president’s arguments that records of phone calls, visits and other materials requested by the Democratic-led committee should be kept confidential.
“This is not just a monumental argument, but it will have future consequences for generations,” said Trump’s attorney, Justin Clark, in his opening remarks.
Clark said the committee’s requests are “too broad” and invalid because they are not related to any legislation Congress is considering.
Chutkan was skeptical of that argument, saying: “The January 6 assault occurred on Capitol Hill. That is literally the power of Congress. “
She also stated that she is reluctant to question requests for documents by members of Congress. “Is it really my role to demand that Congress specify the legislation that they are seeking?” Chutkan asked.
Trump sued the nine-member House committee on Oct. 18, arguing that the requested material is covered by a legal doctrine known as executive privilege that protects the confidentiality of some White House communications. Trump left office on January 20.
The committee requested the material from the National Archives, which has the records.
Democratic Congresswoman Bennie Thompson, chair of the committee, and Republican Liz Cheney, its vice chair, said in a statement after the filing of the lawsuit that Trump sought to “delay and obstruct” the investigation.
“It is difficult to imagine a more compelling public interest than trying to get answers about an attack on our democracy and an attempt to nullify the results of an election,” they noted.
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Trump delivered an incendiary speech before the deadly assault, repeating his false claims that the November 2020 election was stolen from him through widespread election fraud and urging his supporters to go to Capitol Hill and “fight like hell” to “stop the Stole”.
His supporters stormed the Capitol in a failed attempt to prevent Congress from formally certifying the electoral victory of Joe Biden, who reached the White House on January 20.
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