December 22, 2024
Former President Trump filed a lawsuit on Friday night in an attempt to block a subpoena that the House Select Committee on Jan. 6 issued.

Former President Trump filed a lawsuit against all members of the House Select Committee on Jan. 6, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in an attempt to block a subpoena issued by the committee seeking documents and communications related to Jan. 6, 2021.

Trump filed the lawsuit on Friday evening, arguing that the Jan. 6 committee’s subpoena is “invalid.”

The Jan. 6 committee issued the subpoena against Trump on Oct. 21 and is requesting that he appear for a deposition on Nov. 14 at 10 a.m. to provide records in relation to actions on Jan. 6, 2021.

Specifically, the subpoena is requesting communications and documents between Trump and his aides, colleagues and staff from the encrypted messaging app Signal.

JAN. 6 COMMITTEE ISSUES TRUMP SUBPOENA SEEKING TESTIMONY ON CAPITOL RIOT

Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a rally at the Dayton International Airport on November 7, 2022 in Vandalia, Ohio.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a rally at the Dayton International Airport on November 7, 2022 in Vandalia, Ohio. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

“The Committee’s Subpoena is invalid because, as explained below, the Committee did not issue the Subpoena to further a valid legislative purpose; the Subpoena is unwarranted because other sources can provide the information the Subpoena seeks; the Subpoena is broader than reasonably necessary; the Subpoena infringes on executive privilege; the Subpoena infringes President Trump’s First Amendment rights; the Committee is not duly authorized; and the Committee lacks the authority to issue subpoenas,” the lawsuit filed on Friday states.

When the Jan. 6 committee originally filed its subpoena against Trump, he said in response that its efforts are a “witch hunt.”

MARK MEADOWS COMPLYING WITH DOJ SUBPOENA, TURNING OVER DOCUMENTS PREVIOUSLY SHARED WITH HOUSE JAN. 6 COMMITTEE

Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., and Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., take their seats for he Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the Capitol hearing on Thursday, October 13, 2022. 

Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., and Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., take their seats for he Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the Capitol hearing on Thursday, October 13, 2022.  (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

“Despite very poor television ratings, the Unselect Committee has perpetuated a show trial the likes of which this country has never seen before,” Trump wrote.

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Former President Donald Trump pauses while speaking at a rally at the Minden Tahoe Airport in Minden, Nev., on Oct. 8, 2022. 

Former President Donald Trump pauses while speaking at a rally at the Minden Tahoe Airport in Minden, Nev., on Oct. 8, 2022.  (AP Photo/José Luis Villegas, Pool, File)

In the lawsuit, Trump says that the subpoena has a “vague and loosely worded purpose” and doesn’t “describe how the testimony of President Trump is necessary to further this purported purpose.”

Fox News’ Timothy Nerozzi contributed to this report.