The US congressional committee probing the deadly assault on the Capitol, caused Former US President Donald Trump’s effort to keep White House records, regarding the January 6 capitol, a setback. As it said that it had issued subpoenas seeking documents and testimony from more associates of Trump, including senior adviser Stephen Miller, former press secretary Kayleigh McEnany and other White House aides.
On January 6, hundreds of Trump supporters forced the shutdown of Congress after they forcefully entered the Capitol.
‘We need to know precisely what role the former President and his aides played in efforts to stop the counting of the electoral votes and if they were in touch with anyone outside the White House attempting to overturn the outcome of the election,” said US Representative Bennie Thompson, chairman of the select committee.
Documents that Trump hoped to block include records from his top aides and memos to his press secretary, according to a court document published in October.
The more than 770 pages include records of his former chief of staff Mark Meadows, his former senior advisor Stephen Miller and his former deputy counsel Patrick Philbin.
Trump spokesman Taylor Budowich wrote on Twitter that “Pres. Trump remains committed to defending the Constitution & the Office of the Presidency, & will be seeing this process through,” while asserting that the matter of executive privilege “was destined to be decided by the Appellate Courts.”
According to US District Judge Tanya Chutkan, ”Trump’s position that he may override the express will of the executive branch appears to be premised on the notion that his executive power ‘exists in perpetuity. But Presidents are not kings, and Plaintiff is not President.”
The Capitol riot was the worst attack on the seat of the US government since the War of 1812 and the only time power in the United States has not been transferred peacefully.