Going for Broke

The former president's effort is to tie up matters in court proceedings as much as possible until after the 2022 election in the hope that the Republicans gain control of the Congress and make the investigation into the January 6 insurrection go away

- Kenneth Tiven in Washington

THE frequency and fervour of the fund-raising emails is a good indicator of how former US President Donald Trump is handling the pressure of a Congressional House Select Committee investigating every aspect of the January 6 insurrection at the US Capitol Building. The mails come four or five each day, begging for money and castigating the Democrats and perceived enemies.

On television, the Trump sons are shouting as well, with son Eric claiming on Fox News that President Joe Biden spent several days at his Delaware home instead of being in the White House. Apparently, Eric forgot that his father spent nearly 25% of his entire four presidential years at a resort or country club he owns, usually playing golf or just holding court. Travelling the entire presidential team between Washington, Florida and New Jersey cost American taxpayers nearly $100 million dollars.

Trump has just sued the House Committee to prevent it from using records of the National Archives related to the January 6 events within the White House. The former president is asking a federal judge to declare the Committee's subpoena invalid or, failing that, to declare the Presidential Records Act unconstitutional.

Under the Presidential Records Act, sitting presidents decide whether White House records, including those of previous administrations, are subject to executive privilege. Biden declined to assert executive privilege sought by Trump in response to the House subpoena.