{"id":31022,"date":"2022-03-11T15:03:27","date_gmt":"2022-03-11T20:03:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-legal\/constitution\/article2\/article-ii--executive-privilege.html"},"modified":"2024-08-07T15:25:38","modified_gmt":"2024-08-07T20:25:38","slug":"article-ii-executive-privilege","status":"publish","type":"constitution","link":"https:\/\/constitution.findlaw.com\/article2\/article-ii-executive-privilege.html","title":{"rendered":"Executive Privilege"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7  fl-block-columns fl-sectionWithSidebar fl-container fl-flex fl-flex-wrap fl-gap30\">\n<div class=\"fl-page-articles   fl-block-column fl-section-main fl-section-main-full-width\"><h1 class=\"fl-no-margin-top\">Executive Privilege<\/h1>\n\n<section class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline\">\n    <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-content\">\n                    By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/samuel-strom-j-d\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Samuel Strom, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/edward-maggio-esq\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Edward Maggio, Esq.<\/a>\n                | Last reviewed\n        <time>\n                            August 07, 2024\n                    <\/time>\n    <\/div>\n\n    \n    <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle fl-gutenberg-byline-legally-reviewed\">\n        <h2>\n            <button tabindex=\"0\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n                <i class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-icon\"><\/i>\n                Legally Reviewed\n            <\/button>\n        <\/h2>\n\n        <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle-content\">\n            <p><em>This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team.html\" rel=\"noopener\">FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/company-history\/editorial-policy.html\" rel=\"noopener\">our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n    <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle fl-gutenberg-byline-fast-checked\">\n        <h2>\n            <button tabindex=\"0\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n                <i class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-icon\"><\/i>\n                Fact-Checked\n            <\/button>\n        <\/h2>\n\n        <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle-content\">\n            <p><em>The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/contributing-authors.html\" rel=\"noopener\">contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please <a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/?fli=bylinelink\" rel=\"noopener\">contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n    <div class=\"fl-callout-text article-blockquote\">\n        <p>Executive privilege, while not expressly named in the U.S. Constitution, is an ever-expanding principle. It primarily applies to presidents and their advisers, ensuring candor in the decision-making process.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n    <\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Executive privilege is a sometimes controversial legal doctrine that\u00a0allows presidents of the United States to withhold certain information.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>For example, let&#8217;s say Congress asks a sitting president for detailed notes on a diplomatic mishap. The president could invoke executive privilege and refuse to turn over the notes. The courts may get involved to settle the dispute.<\/p>\n<p>Although this is a fictional example, it reflects the conflicts that can arise between our federal government&#8217;s executive, judicial, and legislative branches.<\/p>\n<p>This article discusses:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The development of executive privilege<\/li>\n<li>Who can use executive privilege<\/li>\n<li>The limitations of executive privilege<\/li>\n<li>How executive privilege contributes to the separation of powers<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>But first, what does the Constitution say about executive privilege?<\/p>\n<h2><b>Where is Executive Privilege in the Constitution of the United States?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>Executive privilege is not explicitly granted by the <a href=\"https:\/\/constitution.findlaw.com\/\"><u>U.S. Constitution<\/u><\/a>.\u00a0It is, instead, based on interpretations of\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/constitution.findlaw.com\/article2.html\"><u>Article II<\/u><\/a><u>, Section 2<\/u>.\u00a0This portion of the Constitution states:<\/p>\n<p>The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States; he may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices, and he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.<\/p>\n<p>He shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.<\/p>\n<p>The President shall have Power to fill up all Vacancies that may happen during the Recess of the Senate, by granting Commissions which shall expire at the End of their next Session.<\/p>\n<p>Presidents typically invoke executive privilege for the following reasons:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Protecting their subordinates in offensive or defensive litigation<\/li>\n<li>Refusing congressional calls for papers<\/li>\n<li>Preserving executive power<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The invocation of executive privilege will look different depending on the factual circumstances.\u00a0Consider the following scenarios<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Congress may request documents from the president under its investigatory powers to oversee executive branch actions or to impeach members of executive departments or other officers of the United States.<\/li>\n<li>Private individuals may seek documents from the president in civil litigation.<\/li>\n<li>Prosecutors may seek documents from the president in a criminal action.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In these scenarios, the president may invoke executive privilege to withhold information from these parties.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The president&#8217;s power of executive privilege aims to protect them from requests that may interfere with their official duties as commander in chief. But, the scope of executive privilege has evolved through the Supreme Court&#8217;s interpretation of constitutional law.<\/p>\n<h2><b>The Development of Executive Privilege<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>Executive privilege has a long history in the United States of America, going back to the earliest days of our nation. During his 1807 trial for treason, Aaron Burr attempted to compel then-President Thomas Jefferson to provide certain documents to support his defense.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3><b>United States v. Burr<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>Chief Supreme Court Justice John Marshall presided over the case. At that time, Supreme Court justices also took turns hearing cases in the lower federal courts, and Marshall was the presiding federal judge in Virginia.<\/p>\n<p>Two guiding principles emerged from\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/constitutioncenter.org\/blog\/the-great-trial-that-tested-the-constitutions-treason-clause\" rel=\"noopener\"><i>United States v. Burr<\/i><\/a>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Presidents are not required to hand over requested documents.<\/li>\n<li>However, courts can request relevant documents from the executive branch.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Ultimately, Justice Marshall issued a subpoena, and Jefferson released some documents. Burr was found not guilty of treason.<\/p>\n<p>This case laid the groundwork for executive privilege. A later case,\u00a0<i>United States v. Nixon, <\/i>helped officially establish it as a modern presidential power.<\/p>\n<h3><b>United States v. Nixon<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>In\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/caselaw.findlaw.com\/court\/us-supreme-court\/418\/683.html#:~:text=We%20conclude%20that%20when%20the,fair%20administration%20of%20criminal%20justice.\" rel=\"noopener\"><i>United States v.<\/i> <i>Nixon<\/i><\/a>, a special prosecutor issued a subpoena to former President Richard Nixon, seeking tapes of Oval Office recordings related to the investigation into the 1972 Watergate break-in.\u00a0President Nixon refused to fully comply, and\u00a0the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia\u00a0ordered him to turn the tapes over to the special counsel.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Nixon and the special counsel appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, where Nixon&#8217;s attorney tried to assert Nixon&#8217;s absolute executive privilege.\u00a0Nixon argued that:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Executive privilege was necessary to protect conversations between high-level government officials and their advisors, including heads of departments.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Executive privilege rested on the separation of powers doctrine.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The Court confirmed the need for executive privilege because it ensures that a president and their advisors can freely explore alternatives during the decision-making process. The Court was clear that presidents have an expectation of confidentiality in their conversations and correspondence.<\/p>\n<p>The\u00a0<i>Nixon\u00a0<\/i>Court further recognized that presidential communications have a presumptive privilege fundamental to operating the government and is also rooted in the separation of powers doctrine under our Constitution.<\/p>\n<p>Although the Court clarified the need for executive privilege, it also found that it does not extend to subpoenas issued in criminal or civil cases. Therefore, Nixon could not invoke executive privilege to avoid a subpoena.<\/p>\n<h2><b>Who Can Use Executive Privilege?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>Although the president of the United States typically invokes executive privilege, other executive branch members may also use it.\u00a0Examples include the vice president, cabinet members, and executive agencies such as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).<\/p>\n<h3><b>Executive Agencies<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>Private parties, such as government watchdog groups or investigative journalists, may seek information from the federal government for purposes such as:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>As part of an investigation into government activities (see<i> <\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/caselaw.findlaw.com\/court\/us-dc-circuit\/1725997.html\" rel=\"noopener\"><i>Judicial Watch, Inc. v. United States Department of Justice<\/i><\/a><i>)<\/i><\/li>\n<li>As a plaintiff or defendant in a lawsuit against the government<\/li>\n<li>As part of the defense in a criminal prosecution<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/caselaw.findlaw.com\/court\/us-supreme-court\/345\/1.html\" rel=\"noopener\">U<i>nited States v. Reynolds\u00a0<\/i><\/a>offers an excellent example of a plaintiff seeking information in a lawsuit against the government.\u00a0This case was filed in the aftermath of a plane crash involving a military aircraft in 1948.<\/p>\n<p>The widows of civilians onboard the flight filed a claim\u00a0under the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.house.gov\/doing-business-with-the-house\/leases\/federal-tort-claims-act\" rel=\"noopener\">Tort Claims Act<\/a> and requested the Air Force&#8217;s\u00a0accident report as well as the statements of surviving crew members.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The Secretary of the Air Force asserted a claim of privilege and noted\u00a0that the &#8220;aircraft and its personnel were engaged in a highly secret mission.&#8221;\u00a0The\u00a0District Court rejected their argument and found in favor of the plaintiffs.\u00a0The Court of Appeals affirmed the lower court&#8217;s decision,\u00a0and the government appealed to the Supreme Court.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>SCOTUS found in favor of the government. The Court recognized a &#8220;well-established&#8221; privilege against revealing military secrets.\u00a0The 6-3 majority held that courts must determine whether the circumstances of the claim of privilege are reasonable without forcing any disclosures that would jeopardize national security.<\/p>\n<h3>Executive Privilege and the Freedom of Information Act<\/h3>\n<p>Federal agencies often invoke a specific type of executive privilege against Freedom of Information requests.\u00a0This is known as the &#8220;deliberative process&#8221; privilege.<\/p>\n<p>The\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.foia.gov\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Freedom of Information Act of 1967 (FOIA)\u00a0<\/a>gives private individuals like you the right to access records from any federal agency.\u00a0This gives you and other American citizens the right to stay informed about their government.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>For example, you could request documents from the EPA related to their regulation of drinking water in your community.\u00a0Under FOIA, the EPA must disclose your requested information unless it falls under one of the nine FOIA exemptions.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Exemption 5 covers privileged interagency communications protected by the deliberative process privilege.\u00a0This privilege covers &#8220;pre-decisional materials&#8221;\u00a0developed as part of the decision-making process in federal agencies.<\/p>\n<p>The U.S. Department of Justice has noted that Exemption 5 helps avoid restraining candor needed for &#8220;optimum decision-making inside government agencies.&#8221; Other\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.foia.gov\/faq.html#:~:text=Since%201967%2C%20the%20Freedom%20of,the%20know%20about%20their%20government.\" rel=\"noopener\">exemptions\u00a0<\/a>include, but are not limited to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>National security<\/li>\n<li>Trade secrets<\/li>\n<li>Disclosures prohibited by a different federal law<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Other executive branch officials often try to use executive privilege to protect their communications. But there&#8217;s no guarantee a court will agree the privilege applies.<\/p>\n<h3><b>Presidential Advisors<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>Presidential advisors have attempted to use executive privilege in response to Congressional subpoenas \u2014 but with little success.<\/p>\n<p>In<i> <\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/caselaw.findlaw.com\/court\/us-dc-circuit\/2052773.html\" rel=\"noopener\"><i>Committee on the Judiciary v. Donald McGahn<\/i><\/a><i>,<\/i>\u00a0the White House directed former White House counsel Donald McGahn to ignore a Congressional subpoena for testimony. The White House claimed that McGahn had absolute immunity from compelled congressional testimony.<\/p>\n<p>Although McGahn did not directly assert executive privilege, the court noted that he could plausibly do so in response to some of the Committee&#8217;s questions.<\/p>\n<p>More recently, several former advisors to former President Donald J. Trump attempted to invoke executive privilege in response to Congressional subpoenas. These former advisors had mixed results.<\/p>\n<p><b>January 6 Select Committee Subpoenas<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Following the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, the House of Representatives established a Select Committee to investigate the event. The January 6 Committee issued subpoenas to three of Trump&#8217;s former advisors:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Mark Meadows<\/li>\n<li>Peter Navarro<\/li>\n<li>Daniel Scavino<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Each of these former advisors attempted to invoke executive privilege to avoid compelled testimony. Each experienced different outcomes. Trump gave letters to Scavino and Meadows advising them to invoke executive privilege. But Navarro had no such letter.<\/p>\n<p>Congress recommended that the Department of Justice (DOJ) charge all three with contempt of Congress. The DOJ declined to prosecute Scavino and Meadows, but it did indict Navarro for contempt of Congress. Notably, Scavino and Meadows each tried to negotiate testifying before Congress. Navarro made no such attempts.<\/p>\n<p>Navarro was unsuccessful in his attempt\u00a0to use executive privilege\u00a0in\u00a0<i>United States v. Navarro<\/i>.\u00a0Dr. Navarro was on trial for contempt of Congress.\u00a0Unlike Scavino and Meadows, Navarro did not have a letter from the former president directing him to assert executive privilege.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/donald-trump\/judge-rejects-former-trump-aide-peter-navarros-executive-privilege-cla-rcna102538\" rel=\"noopener\">A federal district judge found Navarro had no evidence<\/a> to support his claim of executive privilege. Navarro was ultimately sentenced to four months in prison for contempt of Congress.<\/p>\n<h2><b>What are the Limitations of Executive Privilege?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>Executive privilege is not absolute or guaranteed.\u00a0It is a qualified privilege. Claims of executive privilege are presumed valid.\u00a0The party seeking documents or testimony must demonstrate that the privilege does not apply. These disputes typically end up in court, so, ultimately, a judge decides.<\/p>\n<p>The Supreme Court <a href=\"https:\/\/caselaw.findlaw.com\/court\/us-supreme-court\/339\/323.html#:~:text=Dean%20Wigmore%20stated%20the%20proposition%20thus%3A%20%22For%20more%20than%20three%20centuries%20it%20has%20now%20been%20recognized%20as%20a%20fundamental%20maxim%20that%20the%20public%20(in%20the%20words%20sanctioned%20by%20Lord%20Hardwicke)%20has%20a%20right%20to%20every%20man%27s%20evidence.\" rel=\"noopener\">has long recognized<\/a> that the public &#8220;has a right to every man&#8217;s evidence.&#8221; They have held that the president may have to testify or produce documents in criminal proceedings.\u00a0This dates back to\u00a0<i>Burr<\/i>, as outlined above. The Court concluded that then-President Thomas Jefferson could be subject to court-issued subpoenas.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Chief Justice Marshall also noted in <i>Burr<\/i> that, unlike the British royalty, the president must adhere to the general provisions of the Constitution.\u00a0Presidents are not monarchs. They are not completely immune from state criminal subpoenas.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><i>Trump v. Vance<\/i>\u00a0illustrates this principle.<\/p>\n<h3><b>Trump v. Vance<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>In <a href=\"https:\/\/caselaw.findlaw.com\/court\/us-supreme-court\/19-635.html\" rel=\"noopener\"><i>Trump v.<\/i> <i>Vance<\/i><\/a>, then-President Trump sued Cyrus Vance, then-District Attorney of the County of New York, over a subpoena issued to Trump&#8217;s accounting firm, Mazars USA, LLP.\u00a0The subpoena sought financial records related to Trump and his businesses.<\/p>\n<p>Trump argued that, as a sitting president, he enjoyed absolute immunity from state criminal processes under <a href=\"https:\/\/constitution.findlaw.com\/article2.html\">Article II<\/a>\u00a0and the <a href=\"https:\/\/constitution.findlaw.com\/article6\/annotation02.html\">Supremacy Clause<\/a> of Article VI.\u00a0Even when he was acting in his personal capacity.<\/p>\n<p>SCOTUS disagreed, holding that Article II and the Supremacy Clause did not require a heightened standard for issuing a state criminal subpoena to a sitting President.<\/p>\n<p>In doing so, the\u00a0<i>Vance\u00a0<\/i>Court noted two important things:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>For two centuries since\u00a0<i>Burr<\/i>, U.S. presidents have accepted the precedent that the Chief Executive is subject to subpoenas and have &#8220;uniformly agreed to testify when called in criminal proceedings.&#8221;\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>A\u00a0&#8220;properly tailored criminal subpoena&#8221; will not usually hamper the performance of a President&#8217;s constitutional duties.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Relying on\u00a0<i>Burr\u00a0<\/i>and\u00a0<i>Nixon,<\/i>\u00a0the Court reasoned that 200 years of precedent established\u00a0the following:<\/p>\n<p>Presidents and their official communications must yield to judicial processes. This is true even when the President is under investigation.<\/p>\n<h3>Can a President Use Executive Privilege After They Leave Office?<\/h3>\n<p>Yes, former presidents can assert executive privilege after they leave office.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/caselaw.findlaw.com\/court\/us-supreme-court\/433\/425.html\" rel=\"noopener\"><i>Nixon v. Administer of General Services<\/i><\/a>\u00a0established this principle.\u00a0In this case, former President Nixon challenged a request for presidential records. Although the Supreme Court ruled against him, this case established the President&#8217;s right to assert executive privilege.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/caselaw.findlaw.com\/court\/us-dc-circuit\/2154813.html\" rel=\"noopener\"><i>Trump v. Thompson<\/i><\/a>\u00a0provides another example.<\/p>\n<p>The January 6 Select Committee requested presidential records from the Archivist of the United States under the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.archives.gov\/presidential-libraries\/laws\/1978-act.html\" rel=\"noopener\">Presidential Records Act<\/a>\u00a0(PRA). The Committee wanted records related to the January 6 attack and Trump&#8217;s claims of election fraud.<\/p>\n<p>At that time, the Presidential Records Act required the Archivist to notify former presidents and the incumbent president of any document requests.<\/p>\n<p>Trump attempted to exert executive privilege. However, President Joe Biden declined to assert privilege.<\/p>\n<p>Under the PRA, only the incumbent president can uphold a former president&#8217;s claim of executive privilege. In\u00a0<i>Thompson,<\/i>\u00a0President Biden declined to uphold the privilege. Biden recognized the extraordinary circumstances of January 6, 2021, and Congress&#8217;s &#8220;compelling need&#8221;\u00a0to investigate it.<\/p>\n<p>Trump then filed for a preliminary injunction to prevent disclosure of his records. The Supreme Court ruled against him, reasoning that he did not meet the criteria for injunctive relief.<\/p>\n<h2><b>Executive Privilege and the Separation of Powers<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>The\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/constitution.findlaw.com\/article1\/annotation01.html\">separation of powers doctrine<\/a>\u00a0flows from the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/constitution.findlaw.com\/article1\/annotation44.html\">enumerated powers<\/a>\u00a0conferred on each branch of government in the Constitution.\u00a0Constitutional law recognizes the following distinct powers:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Presidential powers<\/li>\n<li>Judicial powers<\/li>\n<li>Legislative powers<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>We&#8217;ve often seen disputes between Congress and presidents over the release of information by presidents to Congressional committees.\u00a0Congress has the following powers, which can impact investigations and subpoenas for documents or recordings.\u00a0These powers include, but are not limited to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The power to legislate<\/li>\n<li>The power to oversee the execution of legislation<\/li>\n<li>The power to check the executive branch concerning corruption and wrongdoing<\/li>\n<li>To impeach the president, vice president, and other federal government officials<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities\u00a0set up to investigate the Watergate scandal illustrates\u00a0how Congress can use its investigatory powers to\u00a0check the executive branch through an investigation.<\/p>\n<p>After learning more about the Watergate scandal through different trials and other investigations, the House Judiciary and the Senate established committees to investigate the Watergate break-ins.\u00a0These hearings led to the House Judiciary Committee&#8217;s approval of three articles of impeachment against then-President Nixon.<\/p>\n<p>Presidents often invoke executive privilege in response to Congressional inquiries.\u00a0Consider\u00a0<i>Committee on Oversight and Government Reform v. Holder,\u00a0<\/i>a 2013 case in which former President Barack Obama exercised his right to assert executive privilege.<\/p>\n<h3><b>Committee on Oversight and Government Reform v. Holder<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>In this case, the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/oversight.house.gov\/documents-in-support-of-civil-action-by-oversight-committee-vs-eric-holder\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Congressional Committee on Oversight and Government Reform<\/a>\u00a0was investigating\u00a0Operation Fast and Furious. Operation Fast and Furious was a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms\u00a0(ATF) operation to staunch the flow of illegal weapons into the United States.<\/p>\n<p>More specifically, the committee wanted more information on specific alleged tactics.\u00a0The committee filed a subpoena to compel testimony from former Attorney General Eric Holder.<\/p>\n<p>Holder produced some documents but declined to produce other documents. In a Congressional hearing, a deputy attorney general told the committee that President Obama asserted executive privilege over certain documents. Turning them over, they reasoned, would &#8220;reveal the agency&#8217;s deliberative processes.&#8221;\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The committee disagreed and sued the Obama administration in federal court. Notably, the committee argued that the assertion of executive privilege was invalid for two reasons:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>There was no claim that the documents contained advice given to the president\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>The documents did not touch upon core constitutional functions (of the President)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Holder filed a motion to dismiss the committee&#8217;s complaint, arguing, in part, that the judicial branch could not review the dispute between the legislative and executive branches.\u00a0The <a href=\"https:\/\/casetext.com\/case\/oversight-v-holder\" rel=\"noopener\">U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia<\/a> disagreed. It denied Holder&#8217;s motion to dismiss, confirming that the court does have jurisdiction to hear interbranch disputes.<\/p>\n<h3><b>Trump v. Mazars USA LLP<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>More recently,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/caselaw.findlaw.com\/court\/us-supreme-court\/19-715.html\" rel=\"noopener\"><i>Trump v Mazars USA LLP<\/i><\/a><i> <\/i>illustrates Congressional power to gain access to a president&#8217;s financial records.\u00a0In\u00a0<i>Mazars, <\/i>the House Committee on Financial Services issued subpoenas seeking documentation concerning Trump, his children, and his affiliated businesses from several financial institutions and Trump&#8217;s personal accounting firm.<\/p>\n<p>Trump and others challenged the subpoenas, arguing they lacked a legitimate legislative purpose and violated separation of powers. Notably, the president did not claim executive privilege for any of the requested records.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The District Court for the District of Columbia found in favor of the House committee. The Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia affirmed their decision, finding a valid legislative purpose for each subpoena.\u00a0Trump appealed to SCOTUS.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The Court reversed and remanded the appellate decision. It held that the lower courts did not consider\u00a0the &#8220;significant separation of powers concerns implicated by congressional subpoenas for the President&#8217;s information.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The Court acknowledged that each House of Congress (House of Representatives and the Senate) has the power to secure necessary information to legislate, subject to several limitations.\u00a0These limitations include the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A congressional subpoena must serve &#8220;valid legislative purposes.&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>Congress cannot issue subpoenas to enforce laws because law enforcement is not part of its powers<\/li>\n<li>Recipients of congressional subpoenas do not relinquish their constitutional rights and privileges during an investigation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Can the president challenge a subpoena?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>Presidents do have options when facing criminal prosecution.\u00a0These options include the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The president can challenge subpoenas issued in bad faith or are overly broad<\/li>\n<li>The president can challenge the timing and scope of the subpoena (it must yield to the nature of the office of the president&#8211;i. e., it must avoid significant interference with the president&#8217;s official duties)<\/li>\n<li>The president can raise a claim of executive privilege in certain presidential communications<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The executive privilege doctrine helps maintain a separation of powers and can expand depending on the underlying circumstances.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"was-this-helpful\">\n    <div\n            class=\"was-this-helpful__question-container\"\n            aria-labelledby=\"was-this-helpful__question\"\n            role=\"group\"\n    >\n        <span\n                id=\"was-this-helpful__question\"\n                class=\"was-this-helpful__question fl-text-lg-bold\"\n        >Was this helpful?<\/span>\n        <button\n                class=\"was-this-helpful__button fl-text-sm\"\n                aria-label=\"Yes\"\n                value=\"yes\"\n        >\n            <span class=\"was-this-helpful__button-text fl-text-bold\">Yes<\/span>\n            <i class=\"was-this-helpful__button-icon\">\n                <svg width=\"22\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 22 22\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                    <g id=\"thumbs-up\" clip-path=\"url(#clip0_604_3418)\">\n                        <path id=\"Vector\"\n                              d=\"M6 21H3C2.46957 21 1.96086 20.7893 1.58579 20.4142C1.21071 20.0391 1 19.5304 1 19V12C1 11.4696 1.21071 10.9609 1.58579 10.5858C1.96086 10.2107 2.46957 10 3 10H6M13 8V4C13 3.20435 12.6839 2.44129 12.1213 1.87868C11.5587 1.31607 10.7956 1 10 1L6 10V21H17.28C17.7623 21.0055 18.2304 20.8364 18.5979 20.524C18.9654 20.2116 19.2077 19.7769 19.28 19.3L20.66 10.3C20.7035 10.0134 20.6842 9.72068 20.6033 9.44225C20.5225 9.16382 20.3821 8.90629 20.1919 8.68751C20.0016 8.46873 19.7661 8.29393 19.5016 8.17522C19.2371 8.0565 18.9499 7.99672 18.66 8H13Z\"\n                              stroke=\"#666666\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"\n                              stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><\/path>\n                    <\/g>\n                    <defs>\n                        <clipPath id=\"clip0_604_3418\">\n                            <rect width=\"22\" height=\"22\" fill=\"white\"><\/rect>\n                        <\/clipPath>\n                    <\/defs>\n                <\/svg>\n            <\/i>\n        <\/button>\n        <button\n                class=\"was-this-helpful__button fl-text-sm\"\n                aria-label=\"No\"\n                value=\"no\"\n        >\n            <span class=\"was-this-helpful__button-text fl-text-bold\">No<\/span>\n            <i class=\"was-this-helpful__button-icon\">\n                <svg width=\"22\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 22 22\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                    <g id=\"thumbs-down\" clip-path=\"url(#clip0_604_3423)\">\n                        <path id=\"Vector\"\n                              d=\"M16 0.999995H18.67C19.236 0.989986 19.7859 1.18813 20.2154 1.55681C20.645 1.9255 20.9242 2.43905 21 3V10C20.9242 10.5609 20.645 11.0745 20.2154 11.4432C19.7859 11.8119 19.236 12.01 18.67 12H16M9.00003 14V18C9.00003 18.7956 9.3161 19.5587 9.87871 20.1213C10.4413 20.6839 11.2044 21 12 21L16 12V0.999995H4.72003C4.2377 0.994543 3.76965 1.16359 3.40212 1.47599C3.0346 1.78839 2.79235 2.22309 2.72003 2.7L1.34003 11.7C1.29652 11.9866 1.31586 12.2793 1.39669 12.5577C1.47753 12.8362 1.61793 13.0937 1.80817 13.3125C1.99842 13.5313 2.23395 13.7061 2.49846 13.8248C2.76297 13.9435 3.05012 14.0033 3.34003 14H9.00003Z\"\n                              stroke=\"#666666\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n                    <\/g>\n                    <defs>\n                        <clipPath id=\"clip0_604_3423\">\n                            <rect 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was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--dated\"\n                        >Out of date<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--negative-other\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"negative-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Other\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--negative-other\"\n                        >Other<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/fieldset>\n  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