Factbox: Could Trump use executive privilege to block Comey testimony?(Reuters) - Former Federal Bureau of Investigation Director James Comey will testify on June 8 before a congressional committee investigating Russia’s alleged meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Comey is expected to tell the Senate Intelligence Committee that President Donald Trump asked him to drop an investigation into former White House national security adviser Michael Flynn’s ties to Russia. Trump fired Comey on May 9.  Legal experts say that Trump could invoke a doctrine called executive privilege to try to stop Comey from testifying. But such a maneuver would draw a backlash and could be challenged in court, they said. The following describes how executive privilege works and why it could backfire on Trump if he invokes it. What is executive privilege? Executive privilege is a legal doctrine that allows the president to withhold information from other government branches. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1974 in U.S. v Nixon that executive privilege can only be used in limited circumstances, such as protecting national security or preserving the confidentiality of sensitive communications within the executive branch. How would Trump invoke the privilege to block Comey’s testimony? Before invoking executive privilege, the president typically obtains a written memorandum justifying the decision from the Office of Legal Counsel, a division of the Department of Justice. The White House counsel is often informally involved in the decision. After invoking the privilege, the president can direct current and former government officials to not divulge information.  Have presidents invoked executive privilege in the past? The term was not coined until the 1950s, but most presidents have invoked some version of it, said Mark Rozell, a professor of government at George Mason University. President Barack Obama asserted the privilege in 2012 to block Congress from seeing documents relating to an investigation into Fast and Furious, a botched gunrunning operation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. What are the odds that Trump would legally succeed in blocking Comey’s testimony? Legal experts said Trump would face an uphill climb if he asserted executive privilege to stop Comey from testifying before the congressional committee. Trump likely would argue that Comey’s testimony involves confidential conversations or matters of national security. But that claim would be undercut by the fact that the president has publicly discussed and tweeted about his conversations with Comey, said Rozell. Trump faces another hurdle if he tries to block Comey’s testimony. If Trump pressured Comey to drop the Flynn investigation, as Comey is expected to testify, then Trump may have engaged in obstruction of justice, according to some lawyers. Executive privilege cannot be used to “cover up government misconduct,” said Andrew Wright, a professor at Savannah Law School.  If Trump invoked the privilege, could Comey disregard it? Typically a president uses executive privilege to prevent government employees from releasing information. Comey is now a private citizen who does not have to worry about losing his job if he does not comply. Rozell said he knows of no legal sanction for ignoring an assertion of executive privilege, but that it would be “unprecedented” for an assertion of the privilege to be ignored.  Could Trump be challenged in court if he asserts executive privilege? The president and Congress typically hammer out a compromise when they disagree about whether privilege can be asserted, said Rozell.  But there are instances of executive privilege being challenged in court. When Obama cited the privilege to block the release of documents relating to Fast and Furious, Congress sued and asked a judge to direct then-Attorney General Eric Holder to comply with its subpoena. A judge ruled last year that the Justice Department’s public disclosures about the controversy undercut the president’s executive privilege claim, saying that the Justice Department had already publicly revealed much of the information it said should be kept private. It would be procedurally complicated to challenge a decision by Trump to block Comey’s testimony. First, Congress would have to issue a subpoena requiring Comey to testify. Then Congress would have to find Comey in contempt if he refused. Congress could then ask a federal judge to force Comey to comply with its subpoena. That litigation would lead to a ruling on whether Trump lawfully invoked executive privilege. “There is a path to judicial review, but a lot of things would have to take place,” Wright said. What are the political risks if Trump tries to assert privilege? Trump would surely face public criticism if he tries to stop Comey’s testimony, Rozell said. Critics could claim Trump is using privilege to thwart questions about potential ties between Russia and Flynn and Russia’s alleged influence on the election. “That’s the rub with executive privilege: It makes it look like you have something to hide,” Rozell said.politicsNews
factor could trump use executive privilege block come testimony reuters former federal bureau investigation director james come testify june congressional committee investigating russia alleged meddling presidential election come expected tell senate intelligence committee president donald trump asked drop investigation former white house national security adviser michael flynn ties russia trump fired come may legal experts say trump could invoke doctrine called executive privilege try stop come testifying but maneuver would draw backlash could challenged court said the following describes executive privilege works could backfires trump invokes what executive privilege executive privilege legal doctrine allows president withhold information government branches the supreme court ruled v nixon executive privilege used limited circumstances protecting national security preserving confidentiality sensitive communications within executive branch how would trump invoke privilege block come testimony before invoking executive privilege president typically obtains written memorandum justifying decision office legal counsel division department justice the white house counsel often informally involved decision after invoking privilege president direct current former government officials diverge information have presidents invoked executive privilege past the term coined presidents invoked version said mark roll professor government george mason university president barack obama asserted privilege block congress seeing documents relating investigation fast furious botched gunrunning operation conducted bureau alcohol tobacco firearms explosives what odds trump would legally succeed blocking come testimony legal experts said trump would face uphill climb asserted executive privilege stop come testifying congressional committee trump likely would argue come testimony involves confidential conversations matters national security but claim would undercut fact president publicly discussed tweeted conversations come said roll trump faces another hurdle tries block come testimony if trump pressured come drop flynn investigation come expected testify trump may engaged obstruction justice according lawyers executive privilege used cover government misconduct said andrew wright professor savannah law school if trump invoked privilege could come disregard typically president uses executive privilege prevent government employees releasing information come private citizen worry losing job comply roll said knows legal sanction ignoring assertion executive privilege would unprecedented assertion privilege ignored could trump challenged court asserts executive privilege the president congress typically hammer compromise disagree whether privilege asserted said roll but instances executive privilege challenged court when obama cited privilege block release documents relating fast furious congress sued asked judge direct general eric holder comply subpoena a judge ruled last year justice department public disclosures controversy undercut president executive privilege claim saying justice department already publicly revealed much information said kept private it would procedurally complicated challenge decision trump block come testimony first congress would issue subpoena requiring come testify then congress would find come contempt refused congress could ask federal judge force come comply subpoena that litigation would lead ruling whether trump lawfully invoked executive privilege there path judicial review lot things would take place wright said what political risks trump tries assert privilege trump would surely face public criticism tries stop come testimony roll said critics could claim trump using privilege thwart questions potential ties russia flynn russia alleged influence election that rub executive privilege it makes look like something hide roll
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: Factbox: Could Trump use executive privilege to block Comey testimony?(Reuters) - Former Federal Bureau of Investigation Director James Comey will testify on June 8 before a congressional committee investigating Russia’s alleged meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Comey is expected to tell the Senate Intelligence Committee that President Donald Trump asked him to drop an investigation into former White House national security adviser Michael Flynn’s ties to Russia. Trump fired Comey on May 9.  Legal experts say that Trump could invoke a doctrine called executive privilege to try to stop Comey from testifying. But such a maneuver would draw a backlash and could be challenged in court, they said. The following describes how executive privilege works and why it could backfire on Trump if he invokes it. What is executive privilege? Executive privilege is a legal doctrine that allows the president to withhold information from other government branches. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1974 in U.S. v Nixon that executive privilege can only be used in limited circumstances, such as protecting national security or preserving the confidentiality of sensitive communications within the executive branch. How would Trump invoke the privilege to block Comey’s testimony? Before invoking executive privilege, the president typically obtains a written memorandum justifying the decision from the Office of Legal Counsel, a division of the Department of Justice. The White House counsel is often informally involved in the decision. After invoking the privilege, the president can direct current and former government officials to not divulge information.  Have presidents invoked executive privilege in the past? The term was not coined until the 1950s, but most presidents have invoked some version of it, said Mark Rozell, a professor of government at George Mason University. President Barack Obama asserted the privilege in 2012 to block Congress from seeing documents relating to an investigation into Fast and Furious, a botched gunrunning operation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. What are the odds that Trump would legally succeed in blocking Comey’s testimony? Legal experts said Trump would face an uphill climb if he asserted executive privilege to stop Comey from testifying before the congressional committee. Trump likely would argue that Comey’s testimony involves confidential conversations or matters of national security. But that claim would be undercut by the fact that the president has publicly discussed and tweeted about his conversations with Comey, said Rozell. Trump faces another hurdle if he tries to block Comey’s testimony. If Trump pressured Comey to drop the Flynn investigation, as Comey is expected to testify, then Trump may have engaged in obstruction of justice, according to some lawyers. Executive privilege cannot be used to “cover up government misconduct,” said Andrew Wright, a professor at Savannah Law School.  If Trump invoked the privilege, could Comey disregard it? Typically a president uses executive privilege to prevent government employees from releasing information. Comey is now a private citizen who does not have to worry about losing his job if he does not comply. Rozell said he knows of no legal sanction for ignoring an assertion of executive privilege, but that it would be “unprecedented” for an assertion of the privilege to be ignored.  Could Trump be challenged in court if he asserts executive privilege? The president and Congress typically hammer out a compromise when they disagree about whether privilege can be asserted, said Rozell.  But there are instances of executive privilege being challenged in court. When Obama cited the privilege to block the release of documents relating to Fast and Furious, Congress sued and asked a judge to direct then-Attorney General Eric Holder to comply with its subpoena. A judge ruled last year that the Justice Department’s public disclosures about the controversy undercut the president’s executive privilege claim, saying that the Justice Department had already publicly revealed much of the information it said should be kept private. It would be procedurally complicated to challenge a decision by Trump to block Comey’s testimony. First, Congress would have to issue a subpoena requiring Comey to testify. Then Congress would have to find Comey in contempt if he refused. Congress could then ask a federal judge to force Comey to comply with its subpoena. That litigation would lead to a ruling on whether Trump lawfully invoked executive privilege. “There is a path to judicial review, but a lot of things would have to take place,” Wright said. What are the political risks if Trump tries to assert privilege? Trump would surely face public criticism if he tries to stop Comey’s testimony, Rozell said. Critics could claim Trump is using privilege to thwart questions about potential ties between Russia and Flynn and Russia’s alleged influence on the election. “That’s the rub with executive privilege: It makes it look like you have something to hide,” Rozell said.politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: factor could trump use executive privilege block come testimony reuters former federal bureau investigation director james come testify june congressional committee investigating russia alleged meddling presidential election come expected tell senate intelligence committee president donald trump asked drop investigation former white house national security adviser michael flynn ties russia trump fired come may legal experts say trump could invoke doctrine called executive privilege try stop come testifying but maneuver would draw backlash could challenged court said the following describes executive privilege works could backfires trump invokes what executive privilege executive privilege legal doctrine allows president withhold information government branches the supreme court ruled v nixon executive privilege used limited circumstances protecting national security preserving confidentiality sensitive communications within executive branch how would trump invoke privilege block come testimony before invoking executive privilege president typically obtains written memorandum justifying decision office legal counsel division department justice the white house counsel often informally involved decision after invoking privilege president direct current former government officials diverge information have presidents invoked executive privilege past the term coined presidents invoked version said mark roll professor government george mason university president barack obama asserted privilege block congress seeing documents relating investigation fast furious botched gunrunning operation conducted bureau alcohol tobacco firearms explosives what odds trump would legally succeed blocking come testimony legal experts said trump would face uphill climb asserted executive privilege stop come testifying congressional committee trump likely would argue come testimony involves confidential conversations matters national security but claim would undercut fact president publicly discussed tweeted conversations come said roll trump faces another hurdle tries block come testimony if trump pressured come drop flynn investigation come expected testify trump may engaged obstruction justice according lawyers executive privilege used cover government misconduct said andrew wright professor savannah law school if trump invoked privilege could come disregard typically president uses executive privilege prevent government employees releasing information come private citizen worry losing job comply roll said knows legal sanction ignoring assertion executive privilege would unprecedented assertion privilege ignored could trump challenged court asserts executive privilege the president congress typically hammer compromise disagree whether privilege asserted said roll but instances executive privilege challenged court when obama cited privilege block release documents relating fast furious congress sued asked judge direct general eric holder comply subpoena a judge ruled last year justice department public disclosures controversy undercut president executive privilege claim saying justice department already publicly revealed much information said kept private it would procedurally complicated challenge decision trump block come testimony first congress would issue subpoena requiring come testify then congress would find come contempt refused congress could ask federal judge force come comply subpoena that litigation would lead ruling whether trump lawfully invoked executive privilege there path judicial review lot things would take place wright said what political risks trump tries assert privilege trump would surely face public criticism tries stop come testimony roll said critics could claim trump using privilege thwart questions potential ties russia flynn russia alleged influence election that rub executive privilege it makes look like something hide roll