Judge refuses order to preserve Justice Department records on Brennan

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 15 Oct, 20:02 · Archive

A federal judge declined to require the Justice Department to preserve records from investigations into former CIA director John Brennan.

A federal judge on Thursday declined to order the Justice Department to preserve all its records from investigations into former CIA director John Brennan. Brennan's attorneys sought the preservation order to support a potential defence of malicious prosecution in any future criminal case, arguing the department had a pattern of destroying or failing to preserve records.

U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb rejected the request, finding Brennan's arguments too speculative. The Justice Department has not publicly accused Brennan of any wrongdoing, but House Republicans have referred him for potential prosecution on allegations that he lied to Congress, which Brennan has denied.

Brennan has been under investigation by the Justice Department on two fronts: whether he made false statements to Congress in 2023, and a broader Florida-based inquiry into whether he and other former intelligence and law enforcement officials conspired to keep Donald Trump from power. His lawyers say prosecutors have told them he remains a target in the false-statements investigation. He was subpoenaed to testify before a grand jury in the broader conspiracy investigation.

How it is being reported

• Justice Department doesn't have to save records from inquiries into ex-CIA boss Brennan, judge saysA federal judge has declined to issue a court order requiring the Justice Department to preserve all its records from investigations into John Brennan so the former CIA director can challenge any eventual criminal case against him as a malicious prosecution.Clickorlando · 15 Oct, 19:34
• Justice Department doesn't have to save records from inquiries into ex-CIA boss Brennan, judge saysA federal judge has declined to issue a court order requiring the Justice Department to preserve all its records from investigations into John Brennan so the former CIA director can challenge any eventual criminal case against him as a malicious prosecution.News4Jax · 15 Oct, 19:34

In this story: John Brennan · Justice Department · CIA · Jia Cobb · Donald Trump · Barack Obama · House Republicans

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