This ruling was never in doubt….
Trump’s stalling, a common legal tactic is going to fail him in the end on several fronts in his efforts to hold off Congressional oversight of his actions in office….
The problem for Trump on this is that the House investigations, led by the Democrats will NOW use Robert Mueller’s evidence against Trump….
Trump will NOT have the Justice Department ( the Justice Department is representing Donald Trump personally against Congress) opinion against him being charged with criminal behaviour to hide behind in the impeachment inquiry and possible charges…
The judges ruling while significant?….
Is most likely to be appealed by Trump’s legal people in another attempt to stall things….
“We are reviewing the decision,” a Justice Department spokeswoman said.
In a 75-page opinion, Chief U.S. District Judge Beryl A. Howell of Washington cited a 1974 federal appeals court decision in Haldeman v. Sirica that upheld that congressional impeachment proceedings are excepted from normal grand jury secrecy rules.
“In carrying out the weighty constitutional duty of determining whether impeachment of the President is warranted, Congress need not redo the nearly two years of effort spent on the Special Counsel’s investigation, nor risk being misled by witnesses, who may have provided information to the grand jury and the Special Counsel that varies from what they tell” the House, Howell wrote.
She found that a House impeachment investigation and Senate trial qualify under a grand jury material exemption that permits prosecutors to share information “preliminary to or in connection with a judicial proceeding.”
At a hearing this month, Howell called “extreme” the arguments presented by Trump administration lawyers who opposed the House request for Mueller grand jury materials….
Note..
In the above ruling……
The Federal judge affirmed that the US House can set its own rules in an impeachment inquiry….
This throws out Republican efforts to derail the inquiry by saying it isn’t following the rules….
The ‘rules’ are whatever the House decides they are and they are following past investigations…
SUPRISE!
NO!….
Judge’s ruling to be APPEALED….
…
The agency asked Chief District Judge Beryl Howell, an Obama appointee, to hold off on enforcing the Democratic subpoena while the case plays out.
In her Friday opinion, Howell rejected arguments by the DOJ that grand jury materials from former special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation must remain secret. She also ruled that the impeachment inquiry does not require a House floor vote….
The Hill….