US judge rules Trump Capitol attack records can be released to Congress
- Ruling a win for US House panel investigating January 6 Capitol riot
- Trump’s lawyers argue White House records should be kept secret
A US judge Tuesday ordered White House records that could implicate former president Donald Trump in the January 6 attack on the Capitol be released to a Congressional committee, despite the ex-leader’s attempts to keep them secret.
About 700 people face criminal charges stemming from the riot.
US District Judge Tanya Chutkan declined to issue a preliminary injunction sought by Trump’s lawyers. Chutkan said Biden was “best positioned” to determine whether to waive executive privilege on documents sought by the House.
“At bottom, this is a dispute between a former and incumbent President,” Chutkan wrote. “And the Supreme Court has already made clear that in such circumstances, the incumbent’s view is accorded greater weight.”
Trump “does not acknowledge the deference owed” to Biden’s judgment as the current president, Chutkan said. However, she added: “Presidents are not kings, and Plaintiff is not President.”