US Supreme Court spurns Donald Trump’s bid to keep Capitol attack records secret

The decision means files sought by a panel investigating the January 6 riot can be disclosed even as litigation over the matter continues in lower courts

Only one of the court’s nine members, conservative Justice Clarence Thomas, publicly noted disagreement with the decision

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Supporters of US President Donald Trump clash with the Capitol police in Washington on January 6, 2021. Photo: TNS

Published: 7:54am, 20 Jan 2022

The US Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected former president Donald Trump’s request to block the release of White House records sought by the Democratic-led congressional panel investigating last year’s deadly attack on the Capitol by a mob of his supporters.

The decision means the documents, held by a federal agency that stores government and historical records, can be disclosed even as litigation over the matter continues in lower courts.

Only one of the court’s nine members, conservative Justice Clarence Thomas, publicly noted disagreement with the decision.

Trump’s request to the justices came after the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on December 9 ruled that the businessman-turned-politician had no basis to challenge President Joe Biden’s decision to allow the records to be handed over to the House of Representatives select committee.

The brief Supreme Court order noted that the weighty question of whether a former president can assert an executive privilege claim did not need to be answered to resolve the case. Photo: AP

Trump and his allies have waged an ongoing legal battle with the committee seeking to block access to documents and witnesses.

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