Vivek Ramaswamy announced on Tuesday that he has filed a lawsuit against the Justice Department for failing to respond to his Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request regarding the classified documents case involving former President Donald Trump.
The Republican presidential-primary hopeful tweeted on Tuesday night, stating that he has “just filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Justice following its failure to substantively respond to my Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.”
According to Ramaswamy, the request aimed to uncover the communications between White House officials, including President Joe Biden, Merrick Garland, and Jack Smith, regarding the unprecedented indictment in the classified documents case against a former U.S. President and one of Biden’s political opponents in the 2024 Presidential election.
Ramaswamy also mentioned that he will be filing a separate FOIA request with the DOJ to uncover any similar communications related to the recently issued Jan 6 Trump indictment. He emphasized the need for accountability and transparency.
The Washington Times reached out to the Justice Department for comment but did not receive a response.
Ramaswamy’s announcement comes after Special Counsel Jack Smith’s 4-count federal indictment against Mr. Trump, charging him with conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of an official proceeding, and conspiracy against the rights of citizens. These charges are based on Mr. Trump’s alleged efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election and his involvement in the events surrounding the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot.
Prosecutors argue that Mr. Trump knowingly spread lies about election fraud and his victory in an attempt to maintain power. They claim that these false claims were intended to appear legitimate, create national mistrust and anger, and erode public faith in the electoral process.
However, Ramaswamy, a rising entrepreneur in the GOP primary, has criticized these grounds and cited the U.S. Supreme Court case U.S. v. Alvarez, which recognizes the First Amendment right of political candidates to make knowingly inaccurate statements. He argues that indicting a former president and leading presidential candidate based on an unprecedented legal theory is unjust. He also defends seeking legal advice from one’s own lawyers and criticizes the labeling of Trump’s lawyers as co-conspirators.
In response, Mr. Trump’s campaign denies any wrongdoing and accuses Mr. Biden of weaponizing the Justice Department to undermine his presidential campaign.
Attorney General Merrick Garland, speaking to reporters after the indictment, stated that the prosecutors followed the facts and the law.
