TESTIFY: Courts DENY more Trumpers’ claims of executive privilege

TESTIFY: Courts DENY more Trumpers' claims of executive privilege

Though Donald Trump and the folks in his circle are used to privilege of many kinds, it turns out executive privilege isn’t an option.

At least eight top aides who were close to his activities in the White House (including activities leading up to the January 6th attack) have had claims of executive privilege rejected and must now speak to investigators about the matter.

Throughout dual investigations by a Congressional Committee and the Justice Department, a long list of Trumpers have refused to testify on the grounds that their conversations with the then-president fall under executive privilege, and cannot be disclosed.

Now, in the slower-moving (but more consequential) DOJ investigation, a big decision has hit, requiring Mark Meadows (Chief of Staff in the Trump White House); Ken Cuccinelli (acting deputy secretary of the DHS at the time); John Ratcliffe (Director of National Intelligence under Trump); Robert O’Brien (Trump’s national security advisor); Dan Scavino (deputy chief of staff, social media director); Stephen Miller (policy advisor); and Nick Luna and John McEntee (both personal aides to Trump) to submit to questioning.

These individuals were all in close proximity to Trump in the weeks between his election loss and the January 6th attack, and the Congressional panel that investigated Trump’s efforts to alter the outcome of the election found reason to believe that at least some of them were privy to conversations that involved planning for those efforts.

Judge Beryl Howell, before stepping down and passing her caseload to a successor, was lauded for a ruling last week in the case regarding Trump’s retention of the classified documents that he’d been ordered to return to the National Archives.

And it seems she granted the prosecution a gift in this case, too.

She had already made a similar ruling on executive privilege for two of Mike Pence’s aides.

“Previously, Judge Howell had rejected Trump’s claim of executive privilege to block the testimony of two top aides to Vice President Pence, Greg Jacob and Marc Short. In rejecting Trump’s motion to block the testimony of Jacob and Short, the judge ruled that it is up to the current president to assert executive privilege, not a former president, according to sources familiar with the proceedings,” ABC cited her previous ruling as saying.

If that ruling stands, Howell has essentially obliterated Trump’s ability to claim executive privilege over any of his former cabinet.

The January 6th Committee pleaded nearly a year ago for courts to recognize that Meadows’ claims of executive privilege were baseless.

Former Representative Adam Kinzinger explained part of Scavino’s role.

Since the Trump legal team is likely to appeal Judge Howell’s ruling, it’s uncertain when any of the disgraced ex-president’s former staffers will actually testify, but this ruling certainly brings that day one step closer.

Steph Bazzle covers politics and theocracy, always aiming for a world free from extremism and authoritarianism. Follow Steph on Twitter @imjustasteph.

Stephanie Bazzle

Steph Bazzle is a news writer who covers politics and theocracy, always aiming for a world free from extremism and authoritarianism. Follow Steph on Twitter @imjustasteph. Sign up for all of her stories to be delivered to your inbox here: