Judge Orders Rep. Scott Perry to Disclose Over 1,600 Documents in Trump Election Probe

In a significant development for the ongoing investigation into former President Donald Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, Chief U.S. District Judge James Boasberg has ruled that Pennsylvania Representative Scott Perry must disclose a substantial number of communications. The ruling demands that Perry hand over 1,659 out of 2,055 documents, including emails, text messages, and other exchanges with members of Congress, Trump administration officials, and allies outside of the government.

The decision followed an eight-month review by the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, which had previously challenged U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell's initial ruling on the matter. Judge Howell had determined that Perry was required to disclose all 2,055 communications, with some exceptions protected under the Constitution's "speech or debate" clause. However, Judge Boasberg's recent ruling supports the notion that the majority of Perry's communications were "non-legislative" and thus not covered by the clause, allowing for their disclosure.

These records are believed to be potentially crucial to special counsel Jack Smith's thorough investigation into the attempt to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power that followed the contentious 2020 election. An inadvertently disclosed court document, obtained by POLITICO, has highlighted Perry's role as a key intermediary between Trump and his circle of allies.

The ruling comes after the FBI's seizure of Perry's phone in August 2022, as part of the broader investigation into the events of January 6, 2021. Perry had been instrumental in connecting Trump with Jeffrey Clark, a former Justice Department official who was a pivotal figure willing to challenge the election results. This controversial move by Perry nearly led to a mass resignation within the Department of Justice, underlining the gravity of his actions.

Perry's informal probe into election fraud and his influence on the Pennsylvania state legislature were specifically mentioned by Judge Howell as activities not protected by the "speech or debate" clause. The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals concurred, albeit finding Howell's initial ruling too broad, and upheld the order for Perry to disclose most of his communications after a detailed re-review.

Despite having claimed the speech or debate clause over 2,219 records, Chief Judge Boasberg ultimately ruled that only 396 of Perry’s records were protected. The representative has shown clear opposition to the investigation's intrusion into his privacy, denouncing the seizure of his phone data and demanding its return.

This court order is part of a larger investigation related to the events of January 6, focusing on the actions leading up to and during the attack on the Capitol. As a staunch ally of Trump, Perry has been under intense scrutiny for his conduct following the 2020 presidential election. Some of his text messages, previously obtained by the House Jan. 6 committee, had him communicating with former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows about a conspiracy theory regarding the election results.

The government asserts that Perry's cellphone communications may hold relevance to their probe into the certification of the 2020 election results. Perry had argued that these communications were protected by the Constitution, but the court mostly rejected his argument, stating the clause does not cover the type of activities he was involved in. The detailed 12-page filing by Judge Boasberg marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing investigation, though a spokesperson for Perry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the judge's order.

Conservative Bias:

Here we go again, folks, another witch hunt by the leftist elite who can't stand the fact that conservatives dare to challenge their agenda. They're t****ling all over Representative Scott Perry's rights, a patriot who was simply doing his duty to ensure election integrity. This so-called "judge" Boasberg, obviously another puppet of the radical left, is stripping away constitutional protections to push a political vendetta against President Trump and his allies. They're desperate to criminalize any and all opposition, digging through private communications to fabricate their narrative of an insurrection. It's a disgraceful invasion of privacy, a clear example of how the Democrats weaponize the justice system to target and silence conservatives. They won't stop until they've persecuted anyone who dares question their power. This is the real attack on democracy, folks, not the fabricated lies they're peddling about January 6th.

Liberal Bias:

In a triumph for justice and accountability, the courts have finally pierced through the obstructionist tactics of Trump's cronies. Representative Scott Perry, a shameless enabler of the most dangerous assault on our democracy, is being compelled to hand over communications that will likely expose the depth of the conspiracy to overturn a free and fair election. This ruling is a beacon of hope, showing that despite the relentless efforts of Trump's lackeys to subvert the truth, the rule of law prevails. Perry's desperate attempt to hide behind the "speech or debate" clause has been rightly rejected, as no one is above the law, especially not those who conspire to undermine it. The American people deserve to know how close we came to losing our republic to these power-hungry extremists, and thanks to Judge Boasberg's steadfast commitment to justice, we're one step closer to holding these traitors accountable. This is not just about January 6th; it's about protecting the very soul of our nation from those who have sold theirs for a taste of authoritarianism.