Federal judge rejects Trump’s efforts to block Jan. 6 committee from receiving White House docs

A federal judge has rejected a lawsuit by former President Donald Trump seeking to prevent the National Archives from turning over documents to the House Select Committee investigating Jan. 6. 

According to numerous reports, Trump’s lawsuit attempted to block certain White House documents from being furnished to the committee citing executive privilege. 

In her ruling, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan said the decision to turn over the documents wasn’t up to Trump, and that President Biden was “best positioned to determine matters of executive privilege.”

“Defendants acknowledge that executive privilege may extend beyond a President’s tenure in office, but they emphasize that the privilege exists to protect the executive branch, not an individual. Therefore, they argue, the incumbent President—not a former President—is best positioned to evaluate the long-term interests of the executive branch and to balance the benefits of disclosure against any effect on the on the ability of future executive branch advisors to provide full and frank advice. The court agrees,” Churkan wrote in her ruling.