Trump to invoke executive privilege in Jan. 6 House probe
Category: News & Politics
Via: jbb • 4 years ago • 153 commentsBy: ERIC TUCKER and MARY CLARE JALONICK O (AP NEWS)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
By ERIC TUCKER and MARY CLARE JALONICKOctober 8, 2021 GMT1 of 2 Former President Donald Trump speaks during his Save America rally in Perry, Ga., on Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021. (AP Photo/Ben Gray) 1 of 2 Former President Donald Trump speaks during his Save America rally in Perry, Ga., on Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021. (AP Photo/Ben Gray)
WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump intends to assert executive privilege in a congressional investigation into the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol, a move that could prevent the testimony of onetime aides, according to a letter on behalf of the former president.
The letter went to at least some witnesses who were subpoenaed by the House committee and it makes clear that Trump plans to invoke privileges meant to protect presidential communications from being shared with Congress. The substance of the letter from a lawyer for Trump was described Thursday by a person familiar with it who spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press because the letter was not yet public.
Spokespeople for Trump did not immediately return messages seeking comment. Trump said in a statement last month that he would "fight the Subpoenas on Executive Privilege and other grounds, for the good of our Country."
The move sets the stage for a likely clash with House Democrats who are investigating the roles of Trump and his allies in the run-up to the riot, when a large mob of Trump supporters broke into the Capitol as Congress was certifying the results of the presidential election won by Democrat Joe Biden. The committee is rapidly issuing subpoenas to individuals who are either connected to Trump or who helped plan the massive rally on the morning of Jan. 6 at which he told his supporters to "fight like hell."
The committee, which was formed over the summer, last month issued subpoenas to Mark Meadows, Trump's former chief of staff; Dan Scavino, the former deputy chief of staff for communications; Kashyap Patel, a former Defense Department official; and Steve Bannon, a former Trump adviser. It was not immediately clear how those witnesses would respond to Trump's action or what consequences they might face if they refuse to cooperate.
Patel said in a statement that he will "continue to tell the American people the truth about January 6." It did not say whether he would comply.
Committee members have said they plan to try and move swiftly to obtain testimony and documents should any witnesses refuse to cooperate. Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., tweeted that if the Trump associates do not comply, "they can be subject to criminal contempt."
Charging the Trump associates with contempt could still be a lengthy process, including votes of the full House and potential court proceedings.
Because Trump no longer is in office, he cannot directly assert privilege to keep witnesses quiet or documents out of the hands of Congress. As the current president, Biden will have some say in the matter.
The committee has issued more than a dozen subpoenas to people linked to plans for the Jan. 6 protests, including three additional witnesses announced Thursday. Those individuals would be less likely to get help from Trump's executive privilege claims, which would be limited to people who worked in the White House.
The committee chairman, Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., said subpoenas had gone to Ali Abdul Akbar, also known as Ali Alexander, and Nathan Martin, as well the organization " Stop the Steal, " to learn more about a rally that was planned on the Capitol grounds at the same time as the larger gathering on the National Mall. The committee earlier subpoenaed 11 other individuals connected to the planning of that larger rally.
According to the committee, Alexander released a statement after the riot linking "Stop the Steal" to the Capitol rally permit and explaining that the intention was to direct attendees of the larger rally to march to the Capitol. The panel cited reports that Alexander had made reference "to the possible use of violence to achieve the organization's goals" and had been in communication with the White House and members of Congress.
"The rally on the Capitol grounds on January 6th, like the rally near the White House that day, immediately preceded the violent attack on the seat of our democracy," Thompson said in a statement. "Over the course of that day, demonstrations escalated to violence and protestors became rioters."
Thompson said the committee "needs to understand all the details about the events that came before the attack, including who was involved in planning and funding them."
Alexander has claimed lawmakers helped him plan the rally that led to the siege on the Capitol. He has been in Trump's orbit for a few years, even being among the participants of Trump's "Presidential Social Media Summit" in July 2019 that included dozens of other conservative voices and far-right provocateurs.
In October 2020, the Arizona Republican Party appeared to ask supporters to consider giving their lives to keep Trump in office, retweeting Alexander's pledge on Twitter that he was "willing to give my life for this fight."
Associated Press writers Jill Colvin, Ben Fox and Farnoush Amiri contributed to this report.
All contents © copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Nancy should have Trump hauled before Congress!
They are trying to figure out how to get a fork lift through the doors.
Not a surprise Delusional Don still believes that he is president.
Amazes me these idiots.
The fruitloop dingus in the article will lay down his life for donald?
I keep telling people that TDS is real. People just look on the wrong side of the isle for it.
Narcissism knows no bounds.
Uh, as far as I know, an x president has no executive privilege as he is no longer the executive...
Turns out an ex-president does have some claim to executive privileges. Executive privilege is not a blanket coverage, it does have limits but it also would probably require both parties go to court. And just because the House investigative committee gets to see & hear certain things there is no guarantee that info would be allowed out to the public.
We know how the left works. If something comes from documents that show Trump in a bad light, those documents will be leaked. On the other hand, if there is a nothingburger, in which most Americans expect, then the silence by the losers on the committee will be deafening.....and their loon cult followers will follow likewise blindly.
Your opinionated opinion. We do know how some conservatives work! Just look at two impeachments later. Historians, if properly constituted and this country does not turn into a 'glory-hole' for thieves and mobsters to ply their trades through it, are going to have many 'field days' with this period we're plowing 'under.'
Trump is a special 'bad light.'
You give 'comfort' and possibly your support to a sick, mentally diseased, committed liar.
Somebody, some conservatives, is going to need deprogramming after Donald's 'terror reign' has ended.
How is any of that done in plain sight even relatable to living in a fantasy-land created in Donald Trump and conservative think-tankers heads? Believing lies as true is a failure of a test of true character; paling around with home-grown terrorists for intimidation and shits and giggles is a failure of decency, and attempting to gaslight good people of all ages for selfish and prejudicial reasons just so some conservatives can pretend to be somebodies (they are not) is just freakishly delusional on the part of the doers.
IMPASSE.
He is a private citizen, just like me, you and everyone else. He cannot claim executive privilege. On top of that, he cannot claim executive privilege to cover up a crime even if he could claim executive privilege.
I didn't like a lot of the things Obama did. Sounds too much like they are all covering their asses.
Seems to me, none of them should have any executive 'privilege'.
That is bullshit.
The idea behind executive privilege is that the president should be able to keep communications within his "office" private. The idea being otherwise you couldnt get people to give the president candid or uncomfortable or controversial advice.
The problem is the category of "executive privilege " is too easily abused.
Besides that, he and some conservatives don't have any sense of decency or esprit de corps (the spirit of the thing); these people are just coarse takers and nasty destroyers.
Why should anybody follow rules and regulations when one side is 'carving' out the ways and means to circumvent them for themselves?
By scoundrels and misfits who hold the office. (You can NOT be decent to indecent rascals.)
[deleted]
That's your problem, not one I can help you solve. Oh wait, let me see if I have something I can give—sorry, not a thing. Use what you can of it anyway and throw out the rest or hell throw it all out if you wish (it's served its purpose already).
My God...what in the hell?
Invoking God (at this point): PRICELESS.
OK..is this better?
What the hell?
This is what goes for our nation's biggest "DICK" as smarts. He just throws chaos plays into the mix and sat back and watch the delay in cookin'.We have too many smart(er) people in this country who can tie this OLD FART up in legalities—stop with the laxity! Do your jobs!
Trump can't exert shit. Only a sitting POTUS can do that. But as usual, Trump thinks he can still do anything he wants. It is far past time to slap him with criminal obstruction charges and start polling a jury.
He can exert on communication between himself and the people in question during the time that he was President. I guess the committee could go to court to try to get the info over the claim of executive privilege and maybe the committee will get what it wants if the Supreme Court makes a final decision in the case in the next 14 months.
Interesting. And some conservatives are the riff-rap that say that government does not work properly. Seems Artful Liar and side-men and women are government abusers! They should remember that the next time they open their 'traps' to complain about government 'power' and insufficiency. Using government to 'fux up" and dismiss right in flavor of wrong is SICK AND PERVERT'D.
He has already told his "people" to ignore any subpoenas the House committee issues. Hopefully the committee will show some balls and have anyone arrested that chooses not to comply with their legal subpoenas.
I say do it. Indeed the paperwork should have been written up and held in "waiting." Democrats are making the same PISSY AND STUPID MISTAKES they always do in critical junctures. Anticipate bull patty already and be nimble enough to nip this patty in the bud!
Please spare me this misadventure of propaganda. You support deliberate liars, misfits, scoundrels, and slanted governance. What nerve you have to even speak 'aloud' about pissy and stupid mistakes.
I support the democratic party because they see people of color as having real value and are working to make that value permanent and highly positioned in the party. Whereas, well proper conservatives are standing outside the republican party watching "frat-house" and "racketeers" running what appears to be a frenzied alternative of their political home.
I want absolutely nothing to do with poisonous, toxic republicans!
You would think so, Trump (racketeer) supporter. Let me know when I can expect something other from your pen.
The reason for that is simple.
Yes democrats make mistakes, but they try.
Republicans simply break the laws and expect to get away with it.
Democrats at least try to govern for the country.
Republicans look at government service simply and entirely as a way to pad their wallets.
It's my understanding that the Committee can only vote on contempt and then forward the matter to the DoJ and they, at their own discretion, prosecute the individual. It would be a lengthy and politically fraught process.
But true.
Yea that was pretty freaking hilarious.
How can anyone actually believe that bs?
All the above
I truly cannot imagine how your comments in this thread could be any more worthless...
What exactly is your point regarding Trump claiming executive privilege for January 6th?
Why wouldn't he?
Leftists are going to be leftists and try and find a crime. They already have the person they hate. This is just basically a replay of Russia Russia Russia with nothing but disappointment form the leftist side when absolutely nothing is found that they think should be there.
They can expect federal arrest warrants if they do ignore them. Then Trump will just throw them under his bus with "I never told them to do that."
There seems to be a hell of a lot of contradiction here - either he can or he can't, and either he can be made to testify or he can't.....what a damned mess, which I'm beginning to doubt is ever going to bear fruit. Not only do the wheels of justice need some WD40, they might not turn at all.
That's right Buzz and some of our friends don't know it yet, but this purely political issue is heading right for the Courts.
what a damned mess
There is a strategy to it. The democrats want this to be in the news right up until the midterm elections. They somehow think that invoking Trump is going to save them from the wrath of the American people.
which I'm beginning to doubt is ever going to bear fruit.
Nope.
Not only do the wheels of justice need some WD40, they might not turn at all.
We hardly knew it.
Hopefully longer than that. The GOP milked Benghazi for YEARS, and, right up to the election in 2016. The day after the election? Disappeared like a fart in the wind which proves it never was anything than a political football.
I am totally disgusted that Donald Trump can "punk" the American system at will while regular decent folks are hauled in and pressured to deliver themselves to the "mercies" of the system. For example, Hillary Clinton could have been indecent, crude, rude, and on a 'war footing' to tell the Benghazi Commission to politely take her to court and it would have been a direct correlation to this jerk-ass Donald Trump and his bevy of punky lawyers.
Why should ordinary people obey rules, decency, policies, and laws when the so-called 'modelers' of this country are displaying contempt for the same? It it time, people to either make this "patty" work out as it should or we all go "home" and forget societal rules of "engagement."
Of course they do. They hope it will distract from the travesty the Democrats have created. Even after several law enforcement agencies come to the conclusion that Trump didn't instigate a damn thing on 6 January, the Democrats continue to waste time and money on, yet another, dead horse.
Just 2 things.
[deleted]
2. You actually think a meme is proving me wrong or something?
What is evidenced here is republicans are not participants in good governance in the United States. That is plain to see! The system has plugs left out of it in order to work for (WHITE MALE DOMINATED) a majority that can manipulate it to their misdeeds and crimes and yet shut up and "bang the patty" out of people of color and yes, the rank and file citizenry.
And as you see (@7.1) some conservatives are "all-in" on the in-balance and inequality of outcomes!
I blame democrats for falling into the traps set for them by scoundrels and misfit politicians in the republican party. Some of this is inexcusable ignorance or negligence on the part of democrats who fall into the same traps. For example, Biden is too rehearsed and well-practiced (as informed and educated as Lyndon B. Johnson) on the ways of the Senate to have not seen Sistema and Manchin present conduct from a far off!
This 'noise,' this droning day in and day out in "friendly" media (and on opposition papers and news outlets) - on and offline over the "Build Back Better" plan should not have been a surprise to a leader who laboriously withstood the onslaught getting the Affordable Healthcare Plan passed. The republicans USED the media expertly and whipped democrats in the mid-terms handedly using the confusion and ambiguity about the new law to take away Obama's advantage in the House.
Looks like we are on the same 'slide' into the midterms. Pass the DAMN LAW already. Get it out off the news and the 'talking heads' playlist!
Where are the non-toxic republican house members voice of support in this? Oh wait!
Moderate, responsible Senators behaving moderately and responsibly? I dunno, it's rare enough that I can see how it would take someone by surprise.
There. I fixed that for you.
For what? Human "infrastructure." We have a population of citizens running on 'fumes' and headed toward moral, spiritual, and physical burn-out. It is nice to fix roads and inert things, but if you break people and have them laying around-this nation will pay for it properly. In catastrophic loss.
Incidentally, republicans and conservatives have made it plain that you all don't give a patootie about people and health. But that does not in any way mean the democratic party has to play into that anemic line of thinking. People build those roads, buildings, and etceteras, thus when people are played out brainpower, ideas, and life as we know it will suffer/end.
Jack really. The issue with Sistema and Manchin is not what moderation they have expressed. It is that these two have been respectfully heard by their peers in the democratic party, and the party wants to move on anyway with its promises and goals for constituents for the party's sake. Yet the two senators obstruct. In effect, their activity on this human infrastructure bill is similar or the same as the 50 republicans who do not give any damn about citizen health for its own sake!
Brats?! Brats?! Donald Trump, formerly president of the United States, deliberately and with malice ran the ship of his presidency hard 'aground' and yet you remain as crewmen aboard a wrecked vessel with him and you want to declare the other party trying to help good, innocent, out of the messes we keeping finding ourselves standing knee-deep in? Jack, jokes are supposed to be funny; not insidiously depressing!
A mention of humility from you? Forgive me for I didn't see that coming. Oh wait. It is when a fellow con (abbrev.) supports political hackmanship. Got it!
Yes, brats....
liberal crybaby brats
Nice photo of Manilla, when was it moved to the US?
In adult language, it is propaganda.
Your meme is "stupid passion" meant to fool brainwash conservatives into believing a lie. It's propaganda, but not for the masses. It's meant to trap yourselves.
Some conservatives/republicans are bigoted, misogynistic, selfish, curmudgeons who demonize people not like themselves while all the while proclaiming themselves to be light. Light? I think not. This is supposed (it is not now) to be an aspiring nation seeking unity for all, but conservatives acting in the republican party have always been trying to split and slant rights and privileges to themselves that they won't allow liberals to enjoy.
As for your lying meme, where do I start?
Franklin Delano Roosevelt, a democrat president, who had to die to get replaced in the presidency because rank and file Americans adored him so stated this:
Also he stated this:
A democratic president put the great depression out of business. Who modernized Hoover Dam and thus, provided electrical power for poor citizens of our nation. That shit-show meme of your is dishonest and 'hasty' and lacking in value, but you did not let that stop you from posting it.
Yes, republicans lied on FDR too. And begrudged him the good he did on behalf of the common citizens of his day.
That meme of your is "stupid passion" meant to fool conservatives into believing a lie. It's propaganda.
Do inform me when the photo you posted matches anything in Manilla, IN which is not even a village.
Ditto, repub/con 'cowboy.'
No one on the democratic side is asking for 'cradle to grave' care, but you are welcome to buy and patty that gives you a reason to continue as a Trump (racketeer) supporter. I'm sorry that you lack a sense of association with the whole of the citizenry. (It's not our fault, some conservatives are greedy, selfish, capitalist, isolationsts.)
BTW, thank you for acknowledging albeit indirectly some conservatives' puckering and 'selling out' (the citizenry) just to get ahead in life. Trump has bought the republican party cheap; all for the asking price of its conscience.
Where are the palm trees, I don't see any?
Hurry! Cover your eyes! Your hands are 'hard at work' typing words you can't possibly believe!
Actually, I can't believe in someone or something I can't trust. Get it straight.
You're (like) a progressive liberal now, eh? Well, in that case, you support the "Build Back Better" bill. Oh no? Wait. GOTCHA.
Ditto.
Your tone is starting to 'sputter' and lack. Liberals don't want any "utopia" that ain't going to happen-even if some conservatives cooperate with liberals.
I advise this: Go refresh your 'material.' (Its a tad dry and stale right now. Ugh!)
GOTCHA, propaganda 'man.'
Now comes the digressing set of bull-patty comments. Yawn. It's been nice but no I won't indulge your arrogance at this point. Unless you have something more substantial to add-bye for now!
Well shit. You pulled that old canard out for discussion didn't you? A fictional story (I remember the ad) on a narrow focus; or course, it would be ridiculed by conservatives and blown out of proportion. In like manner, some conservatives thought that putting electricity into poor people's houses (urban/rural) was going toooooo far! Another 'cradle to grave' moment of mocking. Well, what do you say about electricity in your 'home' today, some conservative man?
That's not how it works. We don't enact legislation because the majority of a party wants it. We enact legislation because a majority of Congress believes it's a good idea.
You mean they dare to vote their own conscience and represent the moderate voters who elected them.
This:
Ain't this :
Some conservative propaganda man.
And some conservatives are promoting "conscience votes" now, eh? Does Donald Trump and his lieutenants know you feel this way?
We're done here. (-:
I can't help some conservatives to be nimble, and 'float like a butterfly'! Furthermore, you don't get to tell me what to write, as you are not the 'boss of me.' See what I did there? (Chuckles.)
Resulting to indulgent cursing is not a good look, some conservative.
Your 'meme' of 'Detroit' had palm trees in it.
I cannot think of a better word for AOC and her angry pouting high school cheer squad.
How is anything Trump did relevant to Biden's $3.5 trillion?
I voted for Biden. So if I'm a "crewman aboard a wrecked vessel", it's the USS Joe.
But you see, what moderates like Joe and me and Manchin and Sinema and many others get that the extremists are just too stupid to understand is that major legislation takes time, and care, and negotiation. Nobody gets everything they want.
Some of the ideas put forward are terrible and even your own party won't back you on them. This is one of those.
Manchin and Sinema learned a lesson from the Affordable Care Act. Democrats rejected all the smaller, more effective, less controversial elements of healthcare reform and forced a badly written mega-law down the throats of the American people. Those American people responded by running the Democrats out of town 7 months later, in the largest midterm reversal in a century. Democrats didn't regain the house for 8 years and the senate for 10.
Now....having JUST regained power, much of the party is determined to repeat the mistake as quickly as possible.
Well, since I can't disengage your verbal gymnastics 'grappling hooks' . . . I will respond you again when, where, how, I choose and NT permits. For this thread, we are done.
(But, and it's a big but, that apparently you need to read, I will WRITE BACK AT WILL.)
Who suggested that moi, was tying Donald Trump to Biden's bills? You were labeling grownup liberals as (spoiled) brats and I wanted to point out for you the one in your midst, Donald J. Trump, who spoiled his own presidency by being a big, fat, sorry excuse for a human being, and having the temerity to corrupt what otherwise might be, might be, okay or decent republican politicians.
There is limited time left. I am not a progressive, per se. I am a pragmatist. So I really do not have a dog in this specific fight. What I am about is its resolution. Because to hang out in the news indefinitely is to hang out ad nauseam. And that will cause nausea in 2022 election cycle results.
Sistema and Manchin have made their point. Now if they can not persuade the rest of the majority party to agree to their 'terms' - it is time to go with the majority. And put a cap on this noise in the media!
That's my opinion of it!
Spare me, Jack. Rumors of ACA demise are erroneous. It lives. It thrives. It's forevermore!
Besides, Obama himself told any critic/s who would listen (they did not . . .listen) he was willing to improve the ACA if it made sense to do so. It has been improved and it still thrives!
As for those "smaller, more effective, less controversial elements of healthcare reform. . . ." When did the republican house draft them and what time did they pass muster into law?
You missed the point. I am not interested in addressing you about it anyway. So, can you just let it brush pass. . . .
Why? We have three more years of the Biden presidency.
Not by any measure.
They could have a $1.25trillion infrastructure bill on the President's desk by Friday.
I think their point may be that the Democratic Party is driving itself off a cliff and needs to stop the bus. Sinema and Manchin are representing their constituencies to the best of their abilities. They believe (and I think they're probably right) that the voters who sent them to DC will not be enthused about $3.5 trillion of ridiculous overspending.
Please indicate where I said anything about its demise. The fact that it stands does not change the fact it was so poorly written even Obama's own Health Secretary called major sections of it "completely unworkable". It also does not change the fact that Democrats were trounced that fall and have just now regained the Senate.
MID-TERMS. Campaigning for.
Okay, I am more of a progressive-leaning voter than a conservative (by any measure) how about that? That is, I am more concerned about getting good policies done than standing on ideology alone. You see me now?
I don't know. And I certainly don't get a check (for my lack of active input). Thus, what I desire is a conclusion of the Build Back Better bill 'saga' and its 'pounding' of daily news narratives!
The "trouncing" was more or less due to all the noise heaved up into the politic-sphere by activists in the Tea Party. Remember them? Local townhalls? 'Draped' on Capitol Hill steps with posters?
The ACA has withstood conservative and court 'onslaughts' and thus, let it take is its place in the pantheon in peace—OKAY?
Surely a president as capable as Biden will have no problem expanding his party's majority.
That's certainly fair. I respect that.
Personally, and I realize you'll probably feel differently, I think that the $1.25t true infrastructure plan is reasonably good policy. I think the $3.5t is not, and pressing it is going to prove costly for Democrats in November.
Okay, then we shall watch for a compromise between 1.25T and 2.25T. How is that? Keep in mind my real goal is getting this out of the news - ASAP!
What does any of your drivel above have to do with Trump claiming executive privilege over records pertaining to his January 6th Riot and Insurrection? I should flag every one of your comments above for off topic and TROLLING!
Yes, that is what happens when you troll us.
I made my feelings known to management...
I think it depends on how it is to be spent.
I also think it's generally better to break it up into smaller increments. The parts that are universally perceived to be good ideas will pass easily. The complete nonsense parts will never get passed, and the debate will center around ideas that may or may not be good, but will be small enough for people to understand.
Out of curiosity, why do you dislike the discussion of it being in the news?
It's empty 'noise.' Noting is solved, passed, or 'bettered' by having the public wake up to this each and every morning! Moreover, I have written to congress and its Speaker about this very 'problem' over spring/summer thereabouts.
As to the "negotiiations" well that is what they are for is to ultimately wrest a conclusion from "a mess" spread out on the table.
Fair enough.
My dad had a saying....Some people are so full of shit that they have to hang a bucket off of their asses to catch the overflow.
He CAN'T use executive privilege. Only a sitting POTUS has that privledge. He CAN be made to testify even if it takes him rotting in jail until he does so. One week without Diet Coke, pizza, Big Macs, and golf, he will sing like a bird. Biden has already said it by refusing to stop any and all documents that Trump is scared shitless of becoming public record.
Let's get the show on the road - I'm really looking forward to it.
When it finally does and it will, popcorn sales will be through the roof.
The problem is that the American wheels of justice need a shot of WD40.