Mark Meadows has sued Nancy Pelosi, House Speaker, and House Committee member after the committee threatened to initiate a contempt proceeding against him. Meadows has asked the US District Court to invalidate the subpoenas issued, and also to persuade him to appear before the committee.
Mark Meadows said that the subpoenas were overly broad and unduly burdensome and is in violations of principles of immunity and executive privilege. The former Chief of Staff at the White House said that the principles have a constitution dimension and origin.
The vice-chairman of the January 6 committee, Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) told reporters that Mark Meadows had turned over documents that he termed as non-privileged and interesting. This includes emails and text messages that were linked to Trump’s activities on January 6.
She said that he was under oath and was obliged under law. The committee would be going forward on charges of contempt, Cheney said. He was obliged to respond to the question as he is compelled under the summons about the emails and texts that Meadows has turned over.
Mark Meadows Third Witness To Be Summoned
The former member of the House becomes the third witness to defy a subpoena issued by the Jan 6 committee and has refused to testify and hand over documents.
Steve Bannon, Trump’s political strategist already faces charges of criminal contempt. The January 6 committee meets again on December 16 with Jeffrey Clark, the former official of the Justice Department, before deciding on contempt charges.
Committee chairman Bennie Thompson said that Mark Meadows has no authentic legal base for his refusal to answer questions and collaborate with the committee on the documents in his possession. There are also the accounts and personal devices that he used, and his writings, and his public statements.
