Donald Trump urges SC to block release of White House documents to Capitol riot probe

Former US President Donald Trump on Thursday asked the Supreme Court to block the release of White House documents to the House committee probing the January 6 Capitol riot. Trump appealed to the highest court in the nation to stay a ruling this month by a federal appeals court which rejected attempts to keep the documents and records a secret. Trump asked the justices to take up a full review of the case and also requested that while they consider his position, they put a hold on the lower court's decision permitting the disclosure of his records. 

"The limited interest the Committee may have in immediately obtaining the requested records pales in comparison to President Trump's interest in securing judicial review before he suffers irreparable harm," Trump's lawyers wrote in the court filings, according to CNN. 

Hours after Trump’s request, the House Committee asked the Supreme Court to expedite their consideration of the request. They proposed a schedule that would allow the court to say by the middle of next month whether it was taking up the case. The House Committee said that any delay in the SC’s consideration would “inflict a serious injury on the Select Committee and the Public”. 

"The Select Committee needs the requested documents now to help shape the direction of the investigation and allow the Select Committee to timely recommend remedial legislation," the panel said, as quoted by CNN.

Further, the committee added that the panel and the Biden administration would file by December 30 their responses to Trump's request that the SC take up the case. It is to mention that the lawmakers are asking the Supreme Court to consider during its January 14 conference whether it will take up the case. Now, the latest filings have marked an escalation of the dispute, in which US President Joe Biden is determined that withholding the documents based on executive privilege is not in the interest of the nation. 

Court of Appeals agreed to delay release of WH records

Meanwhile, last week, a US federal judge dismissed former President Donald Trump’s legal campaign to prevent Congress from gaining access to his tax returns. Judge Trevor McFadden, who was appointed by Trump, said that the former President’s legal team which has been fighting the Democrats’ efforts to see his tax filing for years, were “wrong on the law”. He said that “facially valid” Congressional inquiries should not be impeded. 

“A long line of Supreme Court cases requires great deference to facially valid congressional inquiries. Even the special solicitude accorded former Presidents does not alter the outcome," McFadden wrote in a 45-page opinion, adding that “the court will therefore dismiss this case."

(Image: AP)