USAID told employees to destroy documents, court filing shows

Acting Executive Secretary of U.S. Agency for International Development Erica Carr emailed USAID employees instructions to destroy classified documents, according to a Tuesday court filing. The motion included a screenshot of a Monday email from Carr instructing employees to shred as many documents they could. If the shredder needed a break or couldn’t be used, employees were to turn to burn bags that could be stapled shut and labeled “Secret,” according to Carr’s email.

The American Foreign Service Association insisted the court must stop USAID employees from destroying potentially pertinent evidence to the lawsuit, according to the emergency filing. The destruction of records could also seriously undermine the agency’s ability to function and could make rebuilding certain agency programs impossible, the filing added. The American Foreign Service Association sued President Donald Trump in early February after the administration froze USAID foreign assistance funding.

Has there been a response to the motion? Both parties filed a joint status report later on Tuesday as ordered by U.S. District Judge Carl J. Nichols. USAID officials agreed not to destroy any more office documents without first telling the American Foreign Service Association and allowing a chance for the association to object, according to the joint filing. Government officials did not specify the type or quantity of documents that were destroyed, but confirmed that no personnel records were affected. USAID officials agreed to give more details on which documents were destroyed in a sworn declaration filed no later than Wednesday afternoon.

Dig deeper: Read Lauren Canterberry’s report about SCOTUS ruling against Trump’s attempt to freeze foreign aid last week.