Judge rejects RNC's suit to block January 6 committee subpoena to email vendor

Washington — A federal judge in Washington, D.C., rejected an effort by the Republican National Committee (RNC) to block a subpoena from the House select committee investigating the January 6 assault on the Capitol, ruling late Sunday that the panel can demand records from the party's email fundraising vendor.

The decision from U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly, appointed by former President Donald Trump, is a major victory for the House panel, as he roundly rebuffed the RNC's claims that the committee lacks the proper authorization to exercise investigative power and that its subpoena to Salesforce, the third-party vendor, failed to advance a valid legislative purpose.

Kelly dismissed the RNC's claims against the House committee, its members and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, finding they're immune from the suit under the Constitution's Speech or Debate Clause. He also ruled against the RNC on its remaining claims against Salesforce, the email marketing giant used by the party and the Trump campaign, finding they "come up short" because of the "highly differential review the court must give Congress's investigative power and the nature of the materials at issue."