Four of former President Trump’s top aides won’t respond to subpoenas that demand either testimony or documents, according to The Guardian.
The Guardian’s report follows another report from earlier this week, which showed that the House Select Committee on the Jan. 6th Capitol riots, led by Democrat Nancy Pelosi (CA) has so far not been able to physically give a Congressional subpoena on Trump deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino.
It seems that the three other Trump aides — strategist Steve Bannon, chief of staff Mark Meadows, and defense dept. aide Kash Patel — have been served their papers. CNN said that all four “must now comply with subpoenas that ask for documents.” They have until October 15th to respond to these subpoenas.
“In their message to Scavino, the committee says that due to his close proximity and his history of working with Trump, he can give useful information about conversations Trump had on Jan. 5 about attempting to convince Congress-members to not certify the election, the former President’s moves on Jan. 6, and the larger communication strategy the Trump Admin. had in the run up to the Jan. 6 rally,” the news outlet said.
The Guardian reported this week, that all four “are expected to go against the orders for documents and testimony connected to the event, according to a source close to the matter.”
“The move to defy Pelosi’s subpoenas would be the first major investigative roadblock faced by the committee and threatens to create an extended legal battle,” The Guardian said, suggesting that President Trump may have pressed his aide to avoid turning over documents or testifying because the president’s lawyers are worried the subpoenas might undercut executive privilege.
“Trump and his lawyers, led by Justin Clark and Patrick Philbin, are moving to ask the lawyers for the subpoenaed aides to defy these orders,” The Guardian said. “The basis for Donald Trump’s pressing aides to not go along is being mounted based on executive privilege, the source stated, over claims that sensitive discussions about what he knew should stay secret.”
This comes at a time when Trump is still by-far the most favored to be the Republican nominee in 2024.
Author: Scott Dowdy
