DNC attorneys allowed to depose Spicer over election night presence in Trump Tower

A federal court judge said Wednesday that Democratic National Committee (DNC) attorneys can depose Sean Spicer about the former Republican National Committee (RNC) communications director and White House spokesman’s activities on election night.

Judge Michael Vazquez gave the attorneys permission to hold a four-hour deposition and a limited search of Spicer’s emails related to his presence in the Trump campaign’s poll-monitoring war room, Politico reports. 

Four former colleagues of Spicer’s from the RNC and the White House raised concerns to the news outlet over Spicer’s comment in a GQ Magazine interview that he watched election results from Trump Tower’s fifth floor, where the campaign’s data center was located. 

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The Spicer associates recalled signs on the outside of the data-gathering operation warning RNC staff from entering to avoid violating the 1982 consent decree that prevents the RNC from engaging in any ballot security or voter suppression activities. 

Vazquez may pause the expiration date on the decree, which is set for Friday, amid concerns over Spicer’s potential violation.

The judge said, however, the DNC presented “no evidence of actual voter suppression efforts on the day of the election, much less tying it to the RNC,” and would not grant their request for a hearing on the matter. 

The Democrats will not be allowed any further depositions unless they come up with “real evidence,” Vazquez added. 

The decree stemmed from the 1981 New Jersey gubernatorial election, where the RNC was accused of suppressing African-American votes.