The U.S. Supreme Court Wednesday blocked a House committee from receiving grand jury material gathered by Robert Mueller’s special counsel investigators, issuing a stay while a legal dispute over the records is on appeal, NBC News reports.
The House Judiciary Committee said it needed the material now because it has been investigating President Donald Trump and its work “did not cease with the conclusion of the impeachment trial.”
In other words, they’re in a hurry to impeach him but they don’t have a case. They’re fishing around for one.
In a brief order, the court gave the government until June 1 to file its formal appeal in the case. If no appeal is filed by then, the stay will dissolve.
The House Democrats want all redacted material unredacted.
The proceedings of a federal grand jury are secret, including its findings and any materials generated during its investigations. But there are some exceptions. Courts are allowed to authorize disclosure when they find the material would be used “preliminary to or in connection with a judicial proceeding.”
When these grand juries met, people were promised secrecy and that is an overriding concern for many. Personally, I don’t like the idea of a secret grand jury with the target not allowed to defend him or herself, but it’s the rule and promises were made.
Two lower courts ruled that the Judiciary Committee is covered by that exception, reasoning that a House impeachment is preliminary to a Senate trial, which is a judicial proceeding. A federal appeals court ordered the government to hand the materials over by May 11, but the Supreme Court issued a temporary hold to allow time for both sides to submit legal briefs.
The Justice Department said the exceptions to grand jury secrecy rules don’t apply. “The ordinary meaning of ‘judicial proceeding’ is a proceeding before a court, not an impeachment trial before elected legislators.”
The House Dems are engaged in a strictly political fishing expedition, but they can use the slimmest of excuses to proceed. They’re evil. If they can do this to the president, they can do it to anyone.
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