Donald Trump sues to keep US Capitol attack records secret
- Former president called request from committee investigating January 6 insurrection a ‘vexatious, illegal fishing expedition’
- Biden has said he will not use executive privilege to prevent his predecessor’s records from being released
In a federal lawsuit, Trump said the committee’s August request was “almost limitless in scope”, and sought many records that weren’t connected to the siege. He called it a “vexatious, illegal fishing expedition” that was “untethered from any legitimate legislative purpose,” according to the papers filed in federal court in the District of Columbia.
The challenge will likely touch off an extended high-stakes showdown in the courts that will test the constitutional authority of Congress to scrutinise the executive branch.
Thousands of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol nine months ago in an effort to overturn Biden’s election victory.
They had been egged on by Trump, whose fiery speech earlier that day falsely claiming election fraud was the culmination of months of baseless claims about a contest he lost fairly to Biden.
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US House impeaches Trump for inciting deadly Capitol attack
Congressional investigators are seeking testimony from officials who could speak to what Trump, who is considering running for a second term in 2024, knew about the attack beforehand, and what he did while it was ongoing.