The former president sought to invoke executive privilege to preserve the confidentiality of presidential decision-making, but the order was denied and Short testified before the grand jury.
The US Court of Appeals refused to postpone the testimony of Marc Short, a former adviser to former Vice President Mike Pence, dealing a blow to the executive privilege claim Donald Trump brought to prevent him from going before a grand jury, meaning that after this setback the way could be cleared for other former top Trump advisers to testify.
The Washington Post reported that Marc Short, who was one of former Vice President Mike Pence’s top advisers, has appeared before a grand jury again to testify in the investigation into attempts to nullify the 2020 presidential election.
The federal court overruled former President Donald Trump’s objections that he tried to prevent Short’s testimony, because he is considered one of the senior advisers because of his role as Pence’s senior adviser.
Despite Trump’s appeal, the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit refused to postpone Marc Short’s appearance while litigation continues. The former president sought to invoke executive privilege to preserve the confidentiality of presidential decision-making.
This decision could clear the way for other top White House officials during Trump’s tenure to answer questions before a grand jury.
For his part, Marc Short, after giving his testimony in the company of his lawyers, refused to comment on it with the media that were waiting for him. It is important to mention that grand jury matters are usually secret.
Former adviser Short had already appeared before a grand jury in July, but he refused to answer certain questions that were put to him, after one of his lawyers argued that the communications of the top White House advisers are protected and presented documentation to assert executive privilege.
The same media outlet stated that the Department of Justice asked the court to annul Donald Trump’s claim so that Marc Short could testify without limitations and detail all his conversations that are committed to the issue.
The Department of Justice investigates Trump’s actions in the criminal investigation of January 6 and the Select Committee, which also does the same for the assault on the Capitol, have presented constant evidence that has marked an important step in the investigation.
Prosecutors have questioned numerous witnesses about replacing Trump allies with certified voters from some states Joe Biden won and pressured Mike Pence to overturn election results, The Washington Post reported.
When Donald Trump was president he appointed Marc Short as Director of Legislative Affairs, a year later he announced that he would be leaving the White House post in the summer of 2018, citing “diminishing returns.” On February 19, 2019, Vice President Mike Pence announced that he would be his next chief of staff.
In the wake of Donald Trump’s defeat in the 2020 presidential election, the former president pressured Vice President Mike Pence to turn away state voters based on advice from attorney John Eastman. Short enlisted Jared Kushner’s help in reasoning with President Trump, despite agreeing with the election outcome.