RNC ADDS SALESFORCE TO JAN. 6 COMMITTEE LAWSUIT, REQUESTS PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION

WASHINGTON – Today, the Republican National Committee (RNC) updated its lawsuit against Pelosi’s Committee to include Salesforce as a defendant and is seeking immediate declaratory and injunctive relief, as the result of the committee abusing its power and pressuring Salesforce to ignore the RNC’s original lawsuit under the risk of being held in contempt of Congress. 

“The RNC sued the Select Committee because its subpoena to Salesforce is unconstitutional. Even though the court has yet to weigh in, the Select Committee demands that Salesforce immediately turn over the private data of millions of Americans and the RNC’s political strategy which lie at the heart of our lawsuit. These heavy-handed tactics are wrong and a clear overreach. In order to protect the constitutional rights of the Republican Party and its millions of supporters, the RNC has added Salesforce to the lawsuit and asked the court to expedite consideration of the case.” – RNC Chief Counsel Justin Riemer

Background:

  • The January 6th Committee is abusing Congress’ subpoena power to pressure Salesforce into turning over the private data of millions of Americans and undermine the Republican Party. 
    • The committee is trying to subpoena Salesforce for the RNC’s private data and political strategy even though this has nothing to do with the attack on the Capitol.
    • As a vendor of the RNC, Salesforce stores significant amounts of data regarding RNC’s political strategy, digital communication, and online fundraising – including private information about millions of Americans.
  • Because the committee is abusing its power as part of a political fishing expedition, the RNC has sued to stop the subpoena.
  • The committee is now trying to pressure Salesforce to ignore the RNC’s lawsuit under the risk of being held in contempt of Congress. 
  • This is a shakedown, plain and simple. The Committee is threatening one of the RNC’s largest vendors to force them to turn over an enormous amount of private data and GOP political strategy. 
  • Last week, the RNC sued Pelosi and the committee because they subpoenaed Salesforce for the RNC’s data without any legitimate basis. 
  • Today, the RNC updated the lawsuit to include Salesforce as a defendant because Salesforce said that after pressure from the committee, it planned on complying with subpoena.
  • The preliminary injunction would prohibit the committee from seizing the RNC’s private data and information until the RNC’s lawsuit is heard in Court, protecting the First Amendment rights of millions of Americans against an unlawful subpoena.  
  • Salesforce told the RNC that without this ruling from the court, it would be forced to hand over to Pelosi’s committee these documents.
  • The RNC had nothing to do with the violence that occurred at the Capitol and has repeatedly condemned it. 
  • In fact, the RNC was a target of violence and had a bomb placed outside of RNC headquarters, which put our staff in immediate danger and is something the committee has yet to investigate.
  • The data the committee is attempting to seize can be used to piece together the RNC’s confidential and highly sought after digital political strategies.
  • It could also be used to target and harass the RNC’s supporters, since this data contains private information about their political activities and beliefs.
  • The RNC is seeking what is called “immediate declaratory and injunctive relief.”
  • The committee is engaged in a political fishing expedition, attempting to seize private information and political strategy from the RNC that has nothing to do with the attack on the Capitol on January 6th. 
  • The committee’s seizure of the RNC’s data from Salesforce will be devastating to the RNC’s operations, and to its voters and supporters.  
  • To read the Amended Complaint, click here. 
  • To read the preliminary injunction motion, click here. 
  • To learn more about last week’s lawsuit, click here.