Trump Asks Supreme Court to Block House Access to Mueller Records

(Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump’s administration asked the U.S. Supreme Court to temporarily block House Democrats from getting access to confidential materials from Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation.

A federal appeals court ordered the materials, which include grand jury transcripts and redacted parts of Mueller’s report, to be turned over. The new filing Thursday asks the Supreme Court to put that ruling on hold until the justices decide whether to hear the administration’s appeal.

“Once the government discloses the secret grand jury records, their secrecy will irrevocably be lost,” U.S. Solicitor General Noel Francisco argued.

The House Judiciary Committee sought the records as part of its impeachment inquiry of Trump, saying the information would help lawmakers understand his role in events chronicled in Mueller’s 448-page report into Russian election meddling. Trump was impeached by the Democratic-controlled House but acquitted by the Republican-controlled Senate.

Without Supreme Court intervention, the administration says it would have to turn over the materials by Monday. Francisco is also asking the court for a short-term order to protect the records until the court decides whether to order a longer delay. Francisco said the House has agreed to a stay that would last until May 18.

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