Donald Trump Loses Appeal Over Release of White House Documents for the January 6 Probe

A federal appeals court ruled against former U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday, noting that he cannot prevent the House select committee heading the January 6 Capitol probe from acquiring White House documents during his administration.

U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia three-judge panel ruled that Trump had retained some authority to claim executive privilege. However, it cannot overcome U.S. President Joe Biden's decision that Congress has a legitimate need for the White House documents, according to an NBC News report.

Judge Patricia Millett wrote for the court that the executive privilege for presidential communications is a qualified one that Trump agrees must give way when necessary to protect interests.

Millett added that Biden and the legislative branch have shown a national interest in the prompt disclosure of the documents and records.

The three-judge panel denied Trump's request for an injunction that would have impeded the House select committee's access to the concerned documents.

Meanwhile, Trump spokeswoman Liz Harrington said the former president would appeal to the Supreme Court, according to a USA Today report.

Harrington said in a tweet that regardless of the decision of the appeals court, the case was always on its way for the Supreme Court.

January 6 Capitol Riot Probe

The appellate judges also emphasized the significance of the January 6 insurrection. The opinion said that the events of the Capitol riot exposed the fragility of those democratic institutions and traditions that people had "perhaps come to take for granted," according to a CNBC report.

Trump is now looking at the Supreme Court, where he appointed three of nine judges.

The panel of judges gave Trump two weeks to ask the high court to take up the appeal before a court-ordered hold on the White House records was lifted.

Meanwhile, Trump's former White House chief of staff, Mark Meadows, filed a lawsuit in Washington federal court, seeking to void two subpoenas issued by the select committee.

The select committee has vowed to hold Meadows in contempt for defying the subpoenas. On Monday, a meeting is scheduled to be held to vote on advancing contempt proceedings to the full House, leading to criminal charges.

Trump's former White House senior advisor, Steve Bannon, was indicted last month on two counts of contempt of Congress over his refusal to comply with the select committee's subpoena.

Bannon also declined to cooperate with the select committee, citing Trump's claims of privilege.

The House committee has also subpoenaed thousands of pages of documents as it paves its way to knowing what happened on January 6 and how the administration responded.

About 140 police officers were injured in the insurrection when a mob breached the Capitol and temporarily stopped the counting of Electoral College votes that certified Biden's win against Trump.

Trump was impeached for inciting the insurrection. However, the Senate acquitted him.

The requested documents included handwritten notes about what was happening that day and call logs for Trump and former Vice President Mike Pence.

USA Today reported that the National Archives determined around 1,600 pages of records that fit the committee's request.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

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