DOJ attempts to block Trump deposition in former FBI agent Peter Strzok lawsuit

by Jack Birle, Breaking News Reporter | July 06, 2023 04:58 PM

The Department of Justice is asking for a district court judge to block former President Donald Trump from being deposed in a lawsuit filed by former FBI agents who were fired during his administration.

In a redacted filing on Wednesday, DOJ officials argued that Trump's deposition was not necessary because of the deposition of FBI Director Christopher Wray, among other "new evidence."

"The new evidence also consists of other sworn testimony from key, high-level government officials with direct knowledge of the former President’s communications (or lack thereof) regarding Mr. Strzok and Ms. Page. The availability of that evidence to Mr. Strzok means the deposition of former President Trump is not appropriate," the filing said.

Wray's deposition, which happened last week, wascited throughout the filing but was redacted. The DOJ said that "whatever wiggle room there might have been is now gone," with relation to getting Trump to be deposed.

Judge Amy Berman Jackson ruled in favor of the DOJ's request to have Trump's deposition delayed until after Wray was deposed, concluding that having the former president testify first would violate standing precedent that federal officials are questioned in order of seniority.

Jackson had ruled in February that Trump and Wray could be deposed in the lawsuit,but the DOJ is still fighting not to have Trump deposed in the legal battle.

The lawsuit was filed by former FBI agents Peter Strzok and Lisa Page in 2019 after they were fired from their positions while working on the investigation into alleged ties between Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and Russia. Text messages from the two while they were working on the investigation showed them espousing anti-Trump sentiments.

Strzok argued he was terminated for political reasons and is seeking to be reinstated at the bureau and be awarded damages. Page is claiming her privacy rights were violated with the text messages being revealed, while also seeking damages.

(The “how to introduce evidence” rule, they are trying to prevent evidence being talked about by Trump! Or him defending himself, because surely Wray lied in his deposition, maybe Wray recommended to Trump fire them. That's gotta be it, Wray recommended Trump fire them, and then he lied in his deposition, the DOJ doesn't want the court to know that.)

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/justice/doj-attempting-block-trump-deposition-former-fbi-strzok-lawsuit

Preserve your records, Vance tells colleges that jeered affirmative action ruling

by Samantha-Jo Roth, Congressional Reporter | July 06, 2023 04:36 PM

Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) called on10 universitiesto preserve their communications after they reacted to the Supreme Court’s recent affirmative action ruling and “expressed open hostility.”

The Supreme Court ruled to ban the consideration of race as part of admissions decisions at colleges, including Harvard University and the University of North Carolina, ending the decades-long practice known as affirmative action.

Schools can consider race as a factor if the applicant has talked about how his or her race has affected their life. The majority held that "nothing in this opinion should be construed as prohibiting universities from considering an applicant's discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise. But, despite the dissent's assertion to the contrary, universities may not simply establish through application essays or other means the regime we hold unlawful today."

In response, several presidents of top universities emphasized their commitment to promoting “diversity” on campus. As a result, Vance sent letters to top universities on Thursday warning them against what he believed to be their intention to circumvent the Supreme Court’s ruling.

"I write to express concern about your institutions’ openly defiant and potentially unlawful reaction to the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, which reaffirmed the bedrock constitutional principle of equality under the law and therefore forbade invidious race-based preferences in college admissions," Vance wrote.

"As you know, the Court has instructed you to honor the spirit, and not just the letter, of the ruling," he continued. "Going forward, the Court explained, ‘universities may not simply establish through application essays or other means the regime we hold unlawful today.’"

In his letter, Vance included statements from each of the presidents of the 10 schools after the high court struck down race-based affirmative action.

The Ohio senator asked the university presidents to respond to several questions including the procedures the schools will be using to preserve their records and how they will ensure their new admissions practices uphold the recent ruling.

Vance also vowed that the Senate would use its full investigative powers to uncover circumvention, covert or otherwise, of the Supreme Court’s ruling on affirmative action and advised schools “to retain admission documents in anticipation of future congressional investigations, including digital communications between admissions officers, any demographic or other data compiled during future admissions cycles, and other relevant materials."

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/senate/vance-colleges-affirmative-action-ruling

Vance letter attached: