SHADY PERRY: We can’t imagine what this Republican has on his cell phone
Though Representative Scott Perry is a key part of January 6th investigations, he has won a temporary battle to keep some important and relevant records — namely, his cell phone data — out of the reach of the Department of Justice.
In fact, Perry has been battling to hide his cell phone contents from the DOJ since August, when it was seized from him via search warrant as part of the investigation.
He’s claimed that the phone’s contents are privileged information, that the seizure is unconstitutional, and that as a Member of Congress his data is entitled to extra protections.
Now a new report reveals that he won a court battle to (temporarily) block the DOJ from using the data.
In fact, it turns out, there has been a legal battle quietly waged behind the scenes, and the January ruling by a Federal appeals court overturns an unreported and still-sealed ruling for the Justice Department in December, from U.S. District Court Judge Beryl Howell.
Though the ruling is merely a temporary stay, every delay is a win for Trump allies, who now control the U.S. House of Representatives, and are working to undermine and diminish the investigation by other means, including demanding information about the investigation, and planning hearings that will keep DOJ officials tied up away from their real work.
Perry, who reportedly connected Donald Trump to one of the attorneys who is accused of helping plot some of those efforts, also refused to speak to the January 6th Committee. Politico reports:
The existence of the legal fight…is itself intended to be shielded from public scrutiny, part of the strict secrecy that governs ongoing grand jury matters. The long-running clash was described to POLITICO by two people familiar with the proceedings, who spoke candidly on the condition of anonymity.
The delay comes as a bipartisan group of House leaders seeks to intervene in the case.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and others on the Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group, voted unanimously to file a motion to intervene, relating to efforts to unseal the docket, and to preserve House Members’ rights under the Speech and Debate clause of the Constitution.
Between Trump’s November loss and Congress’ final confirmation of that loss in the January meeting, a number of plots were floated to change the outcome, including the notion of appointing Jeffrey Clark as an Attorney General as he pressured Justice Department officials to officially challenge the election results. In their investigation, the January 6th Committee sought to interview Perry about his role in that plot.
The Committee has requested that Rep. Scott Perry provide information for the committee’s investigation.
In a letter to Perry, Chair @BennieGThompson detailed info tying Perry to events surrounding 1/6, including efforts to install Jeffrey Clark as acting Attorney General. pic.twitter.com/IXwG5b1rez
— January 6th Committee (@January6thCmte) December 20, 2021
This all comes out publicly as other probes surrounding Trump heat up, including the Georgia election interference Grand Jury investigation, in which Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has said decisions about indictments are “imminent;” and the probe of possible criminal activity in Trump’s efforts to cover up an alleged affair with adult film star and model Stormy Daniels, which is now being presented to a Manhattan Grand Jury.
