Jean-Pierre Mocks Concern Over Trump WH Counsel Testifying Over Jan 6: ‘No Privilege For Trying To Overthrow The Government’
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre mocked concern over the “precedent” that will be set if then-President Donald Trump‘s White House counsel is compelled to testify about “deliberations inside the White House” around the January 6 attack, saying “there is no privilege for trying to overthrow the government.”
White House Counsel Pat Cipollone emerged as a crucial corroborating witness to the bombshell testimony of former top White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson, who related some stunning conversations with Cipollone from Jan. 6. Cipollone has been subpoenaed by the committee.
At Tuesday’s press briefing, NPR’s Scott Detrow asked Jean-Pierre if Cipollone’s status as White House counsel gives the administration pause about Congress compelling his testimony, even though President Joe Biden has denied many other claims of executive privilege from Trump and others.
Jean-Pierre dismissed the concern categorically:
MR. DETROW: And quick follow-up on January 6th hearings. I mean, I know the White House has been pretty clear that due to the unique situation of January 6th, that executive privilege is not — is not a top concern about precedent. But I’m wondering, given the unique nature of a White House Counsel’s position, is there any conversations about whether that sets a precedent for White House Counsel going forward to have to answer to Congress about deliberations inside the White House?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, let me just first say when it comes to January 6th — the hearings, the select committee — what we’re seeing: It is important — the President believes it’s important to get to the bottom of what happened, for the American public to see for themselves and get all the information that they can on what happened on that day.
So as it comes to executive privilege, there is no privilege for trying to overthrow the government. That’s what the President believes. That’s why the President has consistently declined to assert executive privilege with respect to documents or testimony about the extraordinary events under investigation by the January 6th Committee.
We’re going to continue to defer to the — to the committee as it conducts its bipartisan, independent investigation.
Watch above via The White House.
