Judicial Watch Files Lawsuit Against Adam Schiff For Phone Subpoenas Targetting Trump

Here's more details from Judical Watch's press release on the lawsuit:

Judicial Watch announced it today filed a lawsuit against Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and the House Intelligence Committee for the controversial subpoenas issued for phone records, including those of Rudy Giuliani, President Trump’s lawyer. The phone records led to the publication of the private phone records of Giuliani, Congressman Devon Nunes, journalist John Solomon, Trump attorney Jay Sekulow, attorney Victoria Toensing, and other American citizens.

Judicial Watch filed the lawsuit under the public’s common-law right of public access to examine government records after it received no response to a December 6, 2019, records request (Judicial Watch v Adam Schiff and U.S. House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (No. 1:19-cv-03790)):

1. All subpoenas issued by the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence on or about September 30, 2019 to any telecommunications provider including, but not limited to AT&T, Inc., for records of telephone calls of any individuals;
2. All responses received to the above-referenced subpoenas.

Townhall also said the following about Judicial Watch suing Schiff:

overnment watchdog group Judicial Watch on Friday filed a lawsuit against Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and the House Intelligence Committee for failing to respond to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. 

Specifically, Judicial Watch wanted information about private phone records that were released as part of the Democrats' partisan impeachment push against President Donald Trump. The revelation came about on page 153 of the House Intelligence Committee's report on its investigation into Ukraine.

Page 153 of the report has this citation:

49 AT&T Document Production, Bates ATTHPSCI _20190930_00768, ATTHPSCI _20190930_00772, ATTHPSCI _20190930_00775

Which goes to this paragraph:

The Committees uncovered evidence of close ties and frequent contacts between Mr. Solomon and Mr. Parnas, who was assisting Mr. Giuliani in connection with his representation of the President. Phone records show that in the 48 hours before publication of The Hill opinion piece, Mr. Parnas spoke with Mr. Solomon at least six times.

The people in those calls included President Trump's personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, House Intelligence Committee Ranking Member Devin Nunes (R-CA), investigative journalist John Solomon, Trump attorney Jay Sekulow, attorney Victoria Toensing, as well as others.

"The records are of critical public importance as the subpoenas were issuedwithout any lawful basis and violated the rights of numerous private citizens," the group said in their lawsuit. "...Defendants’ refusal or failure to disclose the records does not serve any legitimate public interest."

When the watchdog group filed their FOIA request they asked for:

1. All subpoenas issued by the House Permanent Select Committee onIntelligence on or about September 30, 2019 to anytelecommunications provider including, but not limited to AT&T,Inc., for records of telephone calls of any individuals;

2. All responses received to the above-referenced subpoenas.

Judicial Watch explains the importance of receiving the public records, specifically citing a vested public interest.

The records are of critical public importance as the subpoenas were issued without any lawful basis and violated the rights of numerous private citizens.

Disclosure of the requested records would serve the public interest by providing information about the unlawful issuance of the subpoenas.

The requested records fall within the scope of the public’s right of access to governmental records as a matter of federal common law.