SCOTUS Gives Jan 6 Committee Access to GOP Leader’s Phone Records
(TheRedWire.com) – House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) named her appointments to House January 6 Select Committee in July 2021. Six Democrats and two anti-Trump Republicans comprised the eight-member panel. Pelosi said its purpose was to investigate the recent riot on Capitol Hill and recommend ways to prevent future attacks. On Monday, November 14, the US Supreme Court cleared the committee to access a GOP leader’s phone records.
In March, Arizona GOP chairwoman Kelli Ward appeared before the committee. Panel members alleged she coordinated with former President Trump and his supporters to appoint Electoral College voters friendly to him. A pro-Trump elector herself, Democrats claimed she tried to cause disorder during the peaceful transfer of power on January 6, 2021. In January, they subpoenaed T-Mobile to gain access to her phone records. Immediately after, Ward sued.
NOTABLE: Justice Thomas opted not to recuse himself from this Jan. 6-related decision, despite calls for it after the discovery of his wife, Virginia Thomas' contacts with key figures connected to Trump's efforts. https://t.co/ouow2sb877
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) November 14, 2022
In September, a federal district court judge in Arizona rejected the lawsuit. The state chairwoman claimed the partisan panel was targeting her for political purposes. On Monday, the Supreme Court declined to block the January 6 Committee’s efforts to obtain Ward’s phone records. The seven-justice majority didn’t provide a reason for the decision.
Pundits expect the Select Committee to disband if Republicans take over the House in January as expected. Still, members plan to release a report about its findings.
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