Trump spokesman sues Jan. 6 panel over access to financial records

WASHINGTON — Former President Donald Trump's current spokesman, Taylor Budowich, has sued the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol over access to his financial records.

Budowich said he complied with the committee, "including sitting for a four-hour deposition on December 22nd," and then returned home the next day to a notice from his bank, JPMorgan Chase, saying it would be handing his records to the committee unless he was able to legally block the subpoena by 5 p.m. on Dec. 24.

"Budowich complied with the subpoena, producing more than 1,700 pages of documents and providing roughly four hours of sworn testimony," says the lawsuit, which was filed Friday. It is unclear whether the bank has already turned over the records, as the lawsuit came the same day as JPMorgan Chase's deadline.

In addition to the panel, Budowich sued House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and JPMorgan Chase, according to the lawsuit, which was obtained by NBC News.

The news was first reported by Politico.

"Democracy is under attack. However, not by the people who illegally entered the Capitol on January 6th, 2021, but instead by a committee whose members walk freely in its halls every day," Budowich said in a statement Friday on Twitter.

In November, the committee issued subpoenas to high-profile allies of Trump, including Roger Stone and Alex Jones. The committee included Budowich, whom it cited as having organized an advertising campaign to encourage attendance at the Jan. 6 rally.

In its subpoena letter, the committee said Budowich "reportedly solicited a 501c(4) organization to conduct a social media and radio advertising campaign encouraging attendance at the January 6th Ellipse rally and advancing unsupported claims about the result of the election."

Budowich said: "I, however, am not, and I will not allow some politicians to intimidate me for my support of President Donald J. Trump. Government should not be a weapon that's freely used against political opponents and private citizens — but it seems like this Democrat-led Congress is intent on codifying that precedent."