Wait, What? DOJ Claims It Never Received Order From President Trump to Declassify Carter Page FISA Docs

The 10-page court filing also showed DOJ lawyers argued that they shouldn’t have to answer any questions to clear up the discrepency. Discovery would “involve obviously privileged information and high level officials.”“As set forth in the renewed motion and the Weinsheimer Declaration, DOJ did not receive a declassification order, and following the press secretary statement that the President had directed DOJ “to provide for” declassification, DOJ followed up with the White House to confirm that there was no order requiring immediate declassification or disclosure. ECF No. 52 (“Def’s Renewed MSJ”). This declaration is entitled to a presumption of good faith,” the court filing stated.

There’s more…

“Plaintiffs argue that the Court already found that the President’s “intentions” were clear and that “the Government does not address whether the Order was treated by DOJ as a declassification order from the outset.” ECF No. 53 (“Pls.’ Opp’n”) at 3. That is incorrect. In fact, the declaration plainly states: “DOJ did not receive at any time a declassification order related to the materials remaining at issue in this case.” Declaration of G. Bradley Weinsheimer, ECF No. 53-1, ¶ 4 (“Weinsheimer Decl.”). See also id. ¶ 5 (“DOJ also did not receive any order to declassify the materials . . . during the meeting the President referenced in his tweet, or at any time.”). Accordingly, DOJ never believed that the press release was a declassification order or treated it as one,” the DOJ lawyers added according to the court filing.