National Archives to release vice presidential records to Jan. 6 committee

Feb. 2 (UPI) -- The U.S. National Archives said In a letter dated Tuesday that it will release more documents to the House Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

The letter, from Archivist David Ferriero to former President Donald Trump, says it will hand over vice presidential records to the committee that Trump had previously asserted Jan. 18 were privileged.

"After consultation with the counsel to the President and the Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Counsel, and as instructed by President Biden, I have determined to disclose to the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol the Vice Presidential records," the letter reads.

"Pursuant to President Biden's subsequent instruction and my authority under 36 C.F.R. 1270.44(g), I will deliver these pages to the Select Committee 30 days after this notification unless prohibited by court order."

Absent a court order, the National Archive would turn over the documents March 3.

In a letter to the National Archives, White House counsel Dana Remus indicated the new tranche of documents includes "communications concerning the former Vice President's responsibilities as President of the Senate in certifying the vote of presidential electors on January 6, 2021."

This is the first set of records related to Pence's office that the Archives has cleared for release.

The archive already has turned over some records to the committee.

Trump still can ask the courts to block the release of the next tranche of some of his White House records.

However, the Supreme Court rejected Jan. 19 his most recent request to block the release.