Donald Trump’s newest lawyer drafted a letter offering up members of the former president’s administration, albeit not all are well-known. His lawyer, Doug Collins, former Georgian Congressman, sent out six letters addressing their appearances before the Jan. 6th Commission when called to testify, according to several sources on Aug. 6, 2021.
The letter addressed to Jeffery Rosen, published on Just Security January 6 Clearance, outlined Trump’s conditions. Collins wrote the former president would not seek an injunction to prevent the U.S. House of Representatives on Oversight and Reform and the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee from interviewing Rosen — that is — unless the panel’s scope of questions goes beyond “matters related to your service.”
Collins’s missive on to address President Joe Biden’s decision “to waive executive and other privileges that protect from the disclosure of non-public information concerning those matters” pertaining to the January 6th resurrection. He advised the letter’s recipients that the DOJ’s supposed “waiver and authorization are unlawful.” Moreover, the former president continues to argue the information sought should be protected by executive privilege.
The letter clearly states Trump would seek injunctions against the committee if they request the interviews of any DOJ officials beyond the six listed below.
House Oversight Committee Chair Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) has a list of Trump-era individuals the panel would like to testify. Thus far, they have requested closed-door, transcribed interviews with the following:
- Former acting Attorney General Rosen.
- Former acting Deputy Attorney General Richard Donoghue.
- Former Associate Deputy Attorney General Patrick Hovakimian.
- Former Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Clark.
- Former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia Byung Jin Pak.
- Former acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia Bobby Christine.
Additionally, Maloney wants to hear from former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. It would be surprising if his appearance was not contested — especially since he accused Trump of using the DOJ to push the false narrative that the 2020 General Election corrupt in his January 3 resignation letter.
Rosen and Donoghue, who are scheduled for interviews, also discussed the Big Lie with Trump during a phone call last December. The former president reportedly told them to “just say the election was corrupt and leave the rest up to me and the R. Congressmen,” according to Donoghue’s notes that were handed over to the House Oversight Committee.
Trump’s Lawyer Trends on Twitter
Former Rep. Collins (R) served the people of Georgia’s 9th Congressional District from 2013 through 2021 when he retired to run for a Senate seat. He is the latest in Trump’s lawyers, a point that 100s of Twitter users have made, resulting in Collins’s name to trend. He is also working pro-bono even though he does not know that now — referring to at least half a dozen other lawyers he has used in the past.
Written by Cathy Milne-Ware
Sources:
PoliticusUSA: Trump Is Begging The 1/6 Committee Not To Interview Him; by Jason Easley
Politico: Letter: Trump legal team not trying to block testimony of former DOJ officials; by Betsy Woodruff Swan and Nicholas Wu
CNN: Justice official accused Trump of using DOJ to push election fraud claims in draft resignation letter; by Evan Perez
The New York Times: Trump says he will not try to stop former Justice Dept. officials from testifying to Congress; by Katie Benner
Just Security: January 6 Clearinghouse: Congressional Hearings, Government Documents, Court Cases, Academic Research; by Ryan Goodman and Justin Hendrix
Featured and Top Image Courtesy of Blink O’fanaye’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
