Ex-Govs., AGs Tell Justices To Release Trump’s Jan. 6 Docs
This excerpt features Government Accountability Project’s Executive Director and CEO, Louis Clark, and was originally published here
The former officials’ arguments were echoed in another friend-of-the-court brief submitted Wednesday by watchdog groups, including the Government Accountability Project, and legal scholars who specialize in executive privilege and the Presidents Records Acts.
The scholars and organizations said there is no legal basis for Trump to prevail over Biden’s decision to waive executive privilege. If the justices do take up the case, the amici argued, they should come out with an explicit finding that no former president has the right to assert such privilege following the waiver of a sitting president.
In a comment to Law360 on Thursday, Government Accountability Project lawyer Louis Clark said he’s confident the Supreme Court will reject Trump’s position.
“I think the door is completely closed on the idea that a former president can actually assert the privilege,” Clark said.
Counsel for both Trump and the government defendants declined to comment on the amicus briefs Thursday.
The former government officials are represented by Norman L. Eisen of the States United Democracy Center and Joshua Perry, E. Danya Perry, Anna M. Skotko, and Sophia G. Weinstock of Perry Guha.
The scholars and watchdog groups are represented by Kel McClanahan of National Security Counselors and Louis Clark of the Government Accountability Project.