Listen to this article here

Sign-Up for a free subscription to The Black Wall Street Times‘ daily newsletter, Black Editors’ Edition (BEE) – our curated news selections & opinions by us for you.

Twice-impeached, former President Donald Trump has reportedly directed a group of his former aides to ignore a subpoena from the January 6 House committee saying he will go to court to block their testimony to the investigators.

In a letter viewed by POLITICO, a Trump lawyer tells the men subpoenaed by the committee, Steve Bannon, Mark Meadows, Kash Patel, and Dan Scavino, to not cooperate with the probe.

The letter stated the committee is seeking materials that are covered by executive privilege, as well as other privileges.

Trump sends letter telling former advisors to not cooperate

“President Trump is prepared to defend these fundamental privileges in court,” the letter said.

---

---

Then the letter directed its recipient to hold back any documents about his White House work and to refuse to testify about his official duties.

The bipartisan committee is investigating the storming of the Capitol by a pro-Trump mob trying to stop the certification of Biden’s electoral college win, an attack that resulted in five deaths and left almost 140 law enforcement officers injured.

Trump cites “executive privelege”

Trump spokesperson Taylor Budowich told the Post in a statement that the records request is “outrageously broad” and “lacks both legal precedent and legislative merit.”

“Executive privilege will be defended, not just on behalf of President Trump and his administration, but also on behalf of the Office of the President of the United States and the future of our nation,” Budowich said, according to the Post.

It remains to be seen if the former Trump aides will follow Trump’s directions. If they are convicted of criminal contempt of Congress, they could face a year in prison and a fine of up to $100,000.