A federal appeals court has thrown up a roadblock in front of special counsel Jack Smith as he continues his investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, riot.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled on Wednesday that Smith could not get access to the cell phone records of Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) because doing so would violate the lawmaker’s immunity under the Constitution’s “speech and debate” clause.
Smith was seeking Perry’s communications with colleagues and Executive Branch officials, POLITICO reported. But the clause in question protects lawmakers from being hit with legal proceedings while engaged in official duties.
