Sarah Burris is a long-time veteran of political campaigns, having worked as a fundraiser and media director across the United States. She transitioned into reporting while working for Rock the Vote, Future Majority and Wiretap Magazine, covering the Millennial Generation's perspective during the presidential elections. As a political writer, Burris has had bylines at CNN, Salon.com, BNR, and AlterNet and serves as a senior digital editor for RawStory.com.
The House Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol filed some legal cases under seal, leading media outlets to sue for the information to be public.
CNN reported Monday that 18 news outlets joined the lawsuit asking a court to allow secret court filings in Mark Meadows lawsuit to be public.
Meadows sued Congress, and more specifically the Jan. 6 committee, for subpoenaing him to answer questions about the lead-up to the attack and the efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Many documents were revealed in a late-night filing over two weeks ago. Twice so far, however, the Meadows’ lawsuit has been filed under a court seal, with no real understanding of why.
“The January 6 assault on the Capitol was a public event. The House Select Committee is making an effort to establish a public reckoning of that event. This Court should likewise conduct its work on this historic matter in full public view,” lawyers for the media outlets said in the filing to the Washington, D.C. court. “The Select Committee has told the American public that transparency will be key to its work. The Press Coalition advances precisely that same public interest in transparency and accountability.”
Members of the House committee said that they intend to begin holding public hearings in June.