Judicial Watch Sues Schiff for Trump Phone Subpoenas
By Jack Hadfield
ThePoliticalInsider.com
Judicial Watch, the conservative foundation who investigate Congressional misdeeds, have filed a lawsuit against Adam Schiff and the House Intelligence Committee, demanding they release the subpoenas relating to phone records of Rudy Giulani and other Trump allies.
Records Are Of “Critical Public Importance”
Judicial Watch originally filed a records request on December 6th, and asked for “all subpoenas issued by the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence on or about September 30, 2019 to any telecommunications provider including, but not limited to AT&T, Inc., for records of telephone calls of any individuals” and “all responses received to the above-referenced subpoenas,” to be published. However, there was no reply to their request, so they filed a lawsuit under the “common-law right of public access.”
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The lawsuit argues that the records are “of critical public importance,” as the subpoenas were “issued without any lawful basis and violated the rights of numerous private citizens.”
“Disclosure of the requested records would serve the public interest by providing information about the unlawful issuance of the subpoenas. The requested records fall within the scope of the public’s right of access to governmental records as a matter of federal common law,” it continues.
Judicial Watch’s President, Tom Fitton released a statement in which he decried Representative Adam Schiff, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.
“Schiff abused his power to secretly subpoena and then publish the private phone records, in potential violation of law, of innocent Americans. What else is Mr. Schiff hiding?” Fitton asked. “Schiff and his Committee ran roughshod over the rule of law in pursuit of the abusive impeachment of President Trump. This lawsuit serves as a reminder that Congressman Schiff and Congress are not above the law.”