They never said they needed the interview transcripts because they haven't interviewed these people. In fact, they suggested just the opposite, specifically stating that "it is critical that the Department be able to evaluate the credibility of witnesses who have provided statements to multiple governmental entities in assessing the strength of any potential criminal prosecutions and to ensure that all relevant evidence is considered during the criminal investigations. We cannot be sure that all relevant evidence has been considered without access to the transcripts that are uniquely within the Select Committee's possession."
DOJ also has a legitimate need for access to these interviews because they are trying to convict very litigious defendants who could blow up the DOJ's case if the committee transcripts are released AFTER the trials begin. DOJ first asked for the transcripts in May, when the trial date was set for August. Because the committee refused, DOJ had no choice but to agree to a delay in the Proud Boys seditious conspiracy trial from August until December because the Committee doesn't plan to release transcripts until September, which will come in the middle of that trial and create a mess since the Defendants wouldn't have been able to prepare for the information that gets disclosed. Remember this is a conspiracy trial and each defendant has a need for and a right to see what the other alleged co-conspirators said to the Government. The judge in the trial has been serious about DOJ's obligations under the law to ensure that the defendants are provided access to potentially exculpatory information and it would be crazy for DOJ to ignore those concerns.
Here's the docket for the Proud Boys case. I suggest you take a look -- it will lay to rest any concerns you might have that the DOJ has been engaging in a very robust and extensive investigation -- one that has led to the initial indictment of one defendant on four relatively innocuous charges to the issuance of superseding indictments that now include six defendants and nine charges including seditious conspiracy. https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/59704100/united-states-v-nordean/?page=3
= new reply since forum marked as read
