Mark Meadows removed MORE THAN 1000 PAGES OF CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS FROM THE WH AT TRUMP’S DIRECTION late at night during the final night of Trump’s presidency, according to government records and interviews with several individuals with first-hand knowledge of the matter.
A former top aide to Meadows has told investigators that they witnessed Meadows removing the documents, according to previously unreported information in government records.
Meadows removed the records from the White House on the orders of Donald Trump, and occurred despite advice from White House attorneys that making public the records would circumvent the long established and official procedures in place for declassifying them.
Meadows was asked about the former president’s handling of classified documents as well as efforts to overturn the 2020 election, another source familiar with the matter said.
George Terwilliger, a lawyer representing Meadows, said in a statement that “Without commenting on whether or not Mr. Meadows has testified before the grand jury or in any other proceeding, Mr. Meadows has maintained a commitment to tell the truth where he has a legal obligation to do so.”
According to a previously unreported email from a top official of the National Archives to an aide to Trump, the Archives had concluded that many of the records removed from the White House to Meadows remained classified, despite efforts by Trump to declassify them at the time. Experts on government secrecy and declassification issues say that that and other information first reported in this article raises serious questions as to whether Meadows’ removal of the records violated federal law.
Among the people with first-hand knowledge that Meadows removed the records from the White House is Cassidy Hutchinson, the former aide to Meadows who gave riveting and meticulously detailed testimony to the House Jan. 6th committee about her knowledge of events of that day, based on her extraordinary access and proximity to Trump and Meadows.
A spokesperson for the special counsel’s office declined to comment.
The New York Times first reported on Meadow’s appearance before the grand jury.
Meadows is viewed as a critical witness to Smith’s investigation. He was ordered to testify before the grand jury and to provide documents after a judge rejected Trump’s claims of executive privilege.
His testimony could provide investigators key insight into the former president’s actions and mental state following the election he lost to Joe Biden as well as into Trump’s actions after he left office in January 2021.
CNN previously reported that Meadows, under subpoena, turned over some materials to the Justice Department as part of their investigation.
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