Biden looks to avoid blocking requests for Trump records in Jan 6 probe -White House
Reuters
Published Sep 24, 2021 03:46PM ET
Updated Sep 24, 2021 07:21PM ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Joe Biden's administration will work to avoid blocking requests for former President Donald Trump's records in an investigation into the deadly Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, the White House said on Friday.
"The president has already concluded that it would not be appropriate to assert executive privilege," said White House press secretary Jen Psaki. "And so, we will respond promptly to these questions as they arise."
Psaki said requests from the U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee investigating the Capitol attack would be reviewed with "an eye to not asserting executive privilege," a legal principle that allows the president to shield some confidential information.
An administration official later said questions of executive privilege would be evaluated on "a case-by-case basis, as Jen noted."
A mob of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6 as Congress was meeting to certify Democrat Biden's election victory, delaying that process for several hours as then-Vice President Mike Pence, members of Congress, staff and journalists fled from rioters.
The House committee has subpoenaed four members of Trump's administration, including Mark Meadows and Steve Bannon, the panel's chairman said on Thursday.
Trump said he would fight the subpoenas and records request using executive privilege and other grounds. A spokesman for the Republican ex-president said on Friday the committee has put forth an overly broad request for records that lacks legal precedent.
"Executive privilege will be defended," said Taylor Budowich, a spokesperson for Trump's Save America political action committee.
Executive privilege allows the White House to refuse demands for records such as congressional subpoenas. The legal principle is rooted in the idea that some privacy should be given to presidential advisers so they can have candid discussions.
Get The News You Want
Written By: Reuters
Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.