A attorney for former President TrumpDonald TrumpRepublicans fret over Trump’s impact in Missouri Senate race Jan. 6 panel votes to maintain Meadows in contempt Senate confirms initial Korean-American woman as federal appeals decide Additional‘s ex-main of personnel Mark Meadows
Mark MeadowsJan. 6 panel votes to keep Meadows in contempt Meadows texts show Hannity, Don Jr. needed Trump to halt Jan. 6 riot Meadows law firm argues contempt referral would be opposite to law A lot more on Monday despatched a letter to the Household pick out committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol arguing that a referral to keep his client in contempt would be “contrary to law.”
In a letter acquired by The Hill, Meadows lawyer George J. Terwilliger argued that a “great-religion invocation of government privilege and testimonial immunity” does not amount of money to contempt of Congress, as the committee prepares to vote to keep Meadows in contempt later on Monday.
Past week, Meadows transformed system and said he would not sit for a deposition with the committee, even with his initial willingness to cooperate.
“The contemplated referral would be contrary to legislation since a fantastic-religion invocation of govt privilege and testimonial immunity by a previous senior govt formal is not a violation of 2 U.S. Code § 192,” Terwilliger wrote.
“A referral to the Office of Justice based mostly on these kinds of an invocation would dismiss the statute’s legislative background and historical software, contravene nicely-set up separation of powers concepts, and improperly input a criminal intent to a excellent-religion actor,” the lawyer included.
On Sunday, chairman of the committee Rep. Bennie Thompson
Bennie Gordon ThompsonJan. 6 panel votes to keep Meadows in contempt Meadows attorney argues contempt referral would be contrary to regulation Meadows said National Guard would be present on Jan. 6 to ‘protect pro Trump persons,’ investigators say A lot more (D-Skip.) shot down strategies that Meadows could stay away from a subpoena via asserting executive privilege, composing in a report that even nevertheless he is a former White Home staffer, he is not entitled to testimonial immunity.
Thompson wrote that even if Meadows ended up to have these types of an immunity, the steps that the committee is seeking information and facts on would slide outdoors of his duties as a White House official.
The committee has alleged that Meadows communicated with condition officials in an try to overturn the success of the 2020 presidential election and informed organizers of the “Prevent the Steal” rally, which preceded the Capitol attack, that the National Guard would be current on Jan. 6 to protect “pro-Trump” folks.
In his letter, Terwilliger additional that referring a “senior presidential aide” for contempt would be “unwise since it would do fantastic destruction to the institution of the Presidency, as restraint in the application of the statute in excess of time attests.”
“Mr. Meadows’s selection to drop a deposition is an endeavor to comply with his authorized obligations as a former advisor to the president,” the legal professional added.
If the choose committee votes to maintain Meadows in contempt, the evaluate would go to the entire Property to vote on regardless of whether to refer the scenario to the Division of Justice for doable prosecution.
Current at 5:27 p.m.