Throughout his tenure in the White House, former President Donald Trump invoked Executive privilege to shield himself from Congressional oversight.
In the wake of the House Select Committee on the January 6 Insurrection's announcement that it would subpoena high-level Trump officials and the National Archives for documents and testimony regarding Trump's actions leading up to the Capitol Siege, Trump's lawyers once again cited Executive privilege as the reason these officials shouldn't comply.
There's just one problem: Trump is no longer President, and Executive privilege is no longer under his discretion.
The Biden administration announced that it would permit White House records be released from the National Archives to Congress.
On Friday, CBS correspondent Ed O'Keefe asked White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki if Biden feared the decision could backfire, introducing a hypothetical in which a Republican President releases documents relating to the Biden administration.
Watch her answer below.
Question: Has there been any concern about what might happen one day when the shoe is on the other foot\nPsaki: I can assure you that this President has no intention to lead an insurrection on this nation\u2019s Capitolpic.twitter.com/SmgEgVhIQT— Acyn (@Acyn) 1634241738
Emphasizing the extremity of the circumstances, Psaki responded:
"I can assure you, Ed, that this President has no intention to lead an insurrection on our nation's Capitol. ... I think it is ultimately important for people to understand and remember that January 6 was an incredibly dark day, one of the darkest days in our democracy. There was an insurrection on our nation's Capitol. What we're talking about here is getting to the bottom of that."
Psaki assured that each document would be carefully reviewed and Executive privilege would be evaluated on a case by case basis.
People supported her response.
That seems like a safe bet.https://twitter.com/Acyn/status/1448740969726156800\u00a0\u2026— Fred Wellman (@Fred Wellman) 1634262318
Nothing but respect for @PressSec.https://twitter.com/Acyn/status/1448740969726156800\u00a0\u2026— Jen Jordan (@Jen Jordan) 1634256652
Psaki is such an absolute boss.https://twitter.com/acyn/status/1448740969726156800\u00a0\u2026— Michael Marshall Smith (@Michael Marshall Smith) 1634324122
not a Republican or Democrat issue\u2026a democracy issuehttps://twitter.com/acyn/status/1448740969726156800\u00a0\u2026— freekbass (@freekbass) 1634247744
Others were frustrated with the question itself.
\u201cShouldn\u2019t everyone want to get to the bottom of it?\u201d\n\nstrange to see journalists troubled by a decision to DISCLOSE documents needed for the Jan. 6 investigation\u2026https://twitter.com/acyn/status/1448740969726156800\u00a0\u2026— Peter Elkind (@Peter Elkind) 1634310323
What a ridiculous question.https://twitter.com/acyn/status/1448740969726156800\u00a0\u2026— Ashton Pittman (@Ashton Pittman) 1634328567
Dumb ass question.\n\nIf you only do things that are legal, then what is there to worry about ?https://twitter.com/Acyn/status/1448740969726156800\u00a0\u2026— Jim, #Resist/Rebuild Better. Vaxxed, pro-Science (@Jim, #Resist/Rebuild Better. Vaxxed, pro-Science) 1634242331
Good Grief. This is RIDICULOUS Ed. #DoBetter @CBSNews @edokeefehttps://twitter.com/acyn/status/1448740969726156800\u00a0\u2026— Joan Esposito (@Joan Esposito) 1634251849
\u201cAren\u2019t you worried about what\u2019ll happen to future criminals if you prosecute against current criminals?\u201d\n\nThe law and order party, huh?— A Big Dumb Idiot Man (@A Big Dumb Idiot Man) 1634245777
Regardless, it's unsurprisingly clear that Trump shouldn't rely on the Biden administration to keep his secrets hidden.
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