The D.C. Court of Appeals denied former President Donald Trump’s attempt to block his former aides from testifying before the grand jury in Special Counsel Jack Smith’s Jan. 6 investigation, according to Politico.
The federal appeals court’s Tuesday morning order, which is not publicly accessible, denied Trump’s emergency Monday night motion to block his aides from testifying, Politico reported. Those affected by the order could include former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, who may appear before the grand jury in a matter of days, according to CNN.
Meadows received a subpoena in January, before former Vice President Mike Pence received one in early February, CNN previously reported. Other potential witnesses who could now be required to testify include John Ratcliffe, former Director of National Intelligence; Robert O’Brien, former national security adviser; and Ken Cuccinelli, former Department of Homeland Security official, according to CNN. (RELATED: Trump Surrenders At New York Courthouse)
WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 06: Jacob Chansley, also known as the “QAnon Shaman,” screams “Freedom” inside the U.S. Senate chamber after the U.S. Capitol was breached by a mob during a joint session of Congress on January 6, 2021 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Patricia Millett, Robert Wilkins and Greg Katsas, who made up the three-judge panel, asked the Justice Department for a response to Trump’s request before making their decision, which it delivered two hours later, CNN reported. The panel’s order upholds a mid-March lower court ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Beryl Howell.
Meanwhile, Trump is separately hearing charges Tuesday following his indictment related to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s investigation into his payment of hush money to former porn star Stormy Daniels.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.