Biden rejects Trump’s proposal to withhold documents related to the Capitol invasion | Globalism

Trump suggested activating executive privilege, which allows the president to keep some communications secret The US National Archives prevented from handing over documents related to the January 6 attack to the committee.

Legal experts are divided over whether this applies to a former president, and Biden has refused to introduce the measure on Trump’s behalf.

Biden’s press secretary, Jen Psaki, said the White House was “cooperating with the ongoing investigation” and “determined that the assertion of executive privilege for the first set of documents was not warranted.”

Going forward, Biden will “evaluate franchise issues on a case-by-case basis” but believes it “is critical that Congress and the American people have a full understanding of the events of that day to prevent them from happening again.”

The commission investigating the attack on the Capitol released a recording request in August related to Trump supporters’ attempt to block Congress’ confirmation of Biden’s election victory in November.

Among the records and documents requested are communications from Trump, his family members, his top advisers, his lawyer, and dozens of other former members of his administration.

contempt for Congress

The committee also issued subpoenas for four former Trump advisers: Mark Meadows, Cash Patel, Dan Scavino and Steve Bannon.

Politico and The Washington Post reported Thursday that Trump has asked his four former aides to do so Do not cooperate with the investigation.

Congressman Benny Thompson, the committee’s chair, said Friday that Meadows, Trump’s former chief of staff, and Patel, the White House’s national security adviser, “are committed to the select committee.”

But Thompson said Bannon, a former political advisor close to Trump, “has indicated that he will try to hide behind vague references to the former president’s privileges.”

He continued, “The selection committee fully expects that all of these witnesses will meet the requirements for documents and testimonies.”

“We will not allow any witnesses to challenge a subpoena or attempt to run out of time, and we will swiftly consider referring a criminal case in contempt of Congress,” Thompson concluded.

The commission’s statement did not mention Scavino. According to the American press, the commission was unable to locate him to deliver a subpoena.

So far, the House of Representatives has held only one hearing, on July 27, when four police officers at the Capitol and Washington testified on the defense of the Senate and House of Representatives on January 6.

Trump consistently refuses to admit defeat to Biden and continues to make unfounded claims that he won the presidential election.