WASHINGTON. The House Committee is investigating the Jan. 6 incident. attack on The Capitol issued subpoenas on Thursday to five Republican members of Congress, including Representative Kevin McCarthy, Minority Leader, who refused to meet with in panel voluntarily.
Committee leaders did not want issue agendas to their fellow legislators. It’s extraordinarily rare step for most congressional committees, although the House Ethics Committee, which responsible for investigation into allegations of member misconduct has been known to do so.
panel said he wanted documents and statements from Mr. McCarthy, of California, who enthusiastic in heated phone call with President Donald J. Trump during the Capitol riots; Rep. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, who agreed on a plan to replace the acting attorney general after he resisted Mr Trump false claims of widespread fraud; Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, who was deeply involved in an effort fight elections results; Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona, Mr. former leader of ultra-conservative Freedom House caucus; and Rep. Mo Brooks of Alabama, who said Mr Trump continues to seek illegal reinstatement office for more how year.
All five refused requests for voluntary interviews about the roles they played in extension attack supporters of in former the president who believed his lies of massive electoral fraud.
Mr McCarthy told reporters on capitol hill on Thursday that he has not yet seen the subpoena.
“My view on committee has no changed,” he said. “They are not doing a legitimate investigation. They seem to just want pursue your political opponents”.
Mr. Perry called the Democrats’ investigation a “charade” and a “political witch hunt” that consists of “faking headlines and distracting Americans from their bottomless plight.” record of plunge America into the ground.”
Subpoenas come when the committee is dispersed up for a series of public hearings next month to reveal their findings. Eight hearings scheduled place over a few weeks starting on June 9, some during prime time in attempt attract large television audience.
“The selection committee learned that several of our colleagues have information relevant to our investigation attack on January 6 and events leading up to it,” Representative Benny Thompson, Democrat of Mississippi and Chairman of committee said in statement. “Before we have our hearings next month, we wished give participants the opportunity to discuss these issues with committee voluntarily. Unfortunately, the persons who received the subpoenas today refused, and we are forced to accept this. step to help ensure committee discloses facts concerning 6 January.”
Within a few weeks, participants and researchers on in special House panel often suffered over how aggressively harass incumbent members of Congress, weighing their desire for information on direct interaction between legislators with Mr Trump against potential legal difficulty and political implications of doing so.
Behind closed doors, the committee and staff studied the law, parliamentary rules and past precedents before deciding to continue, people familiar with the inquest says.
In letters to deputies sent on On Thursday Mr Thompson wrote that their refusal to cooperate left in panel with “no choice” but issue subpoenas.
Rep. Jamie Ruskin, Democrat of Maryland and member of committee said panel spent more over 1000 interviews but needed to hear from these members of Congress who were so closely connected in in former presidential plans.
“The precedent that we want install with our work in that people should not attempt to overthrow electoral and political institutions of United States,” he said.
Mr. McCarthy’s subpoena is particularly noteworthy because he in line to become Speaker if Republicans win the control of house in November of this year. If he refuses to comply, it may set in start a process that can lead to a Democrat-controlled house holding him in contempt of Congress ahead of the midterm elections.
Congressional investigators have rarely come across a situation that carries such huge stakes. for their institution.
Mr McCarthy has long feared that he will be called to court. in investigation. In recent months he has been in discussions with William A. Burke, longtime Washington lawyer, o how to fight subpoena.
The committee wants to question Mr. McCarthy about the conversations he had after attack about the guilt of the president in attack and what should be done to solve this problem. The Committee has also suggested Mr Trump may have influenced Mr McCarthy’s refusal to cooperate with investigation.
Mr McCarthy made a blunt statement in January denounced the committee as illegal and said he would refuse to cooperate. with his request. He claimed that panel violated confidentiality of Republicans through subpoenas for bank and telephone records. mr mccarthy also condemned Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California for giving up two of its five options to sit on in panel — one of who was mr jordan.
The Committee informed Mr Jordan in December letter that his investigators wanted ask him about his messages related to run-up to a riot on the Capitol. These include messages from Mr. Jordan with Mr Trump and his legal team as well as other participants in rally planning on January 6 and Congressional objections to confirming the victory of Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
A few weeks after the 2020 election, Mr. Perry, Member of Congress since 2013 who close to Mr. Jordan, compiled a dossier of allegations of voter fraud and agreed on a plan to replace the acting attorney general, who resisted Mr Trump’s attempts to cancel the election, with a more compatible official. Mr Perry also approved the idea of calling on Mr Trump’s supporters to march on Capitol on January 6, 2021
In a letter to Mr. Biggs, the leaders of the committee wrote that they wanted question him about the evidence they got on efforts by some Republicans in the House of Representatives to seek a presidential pardon after January 6 in connection with Trump’s attempts to cancel the 2020 election.
And panel said it wanted question Mr. Brooks about the statements he made in March claims Mr. Trump repeatedly asked him in months after the election to illegally “undo” the results, remove President Biden and force a special elections.
The so-called speech or debate clause of Constitution designed to protect independence of legislature, says that senators and representatives “must not be interrogated in any other place about any speech or discussion in or ward. It has been interpreted in a broad sense to cover all legislative action and not just the words. On his face, however, this paragraph is limited to their interrogation in “other places, like courtrooms.
There is also precedent for The House of Representatives summons its members in narrow context. The House Ethics Committee has the authority rules subpoena members for testimonies or documents, and members required execute.
The Committee has also looking for an interview with Rep. Ronnie Jackson of Texas Mr Trump former The White House Doctor, on why he was mentioned in encrypted messages from the Oathkeeper militia group some of members of which are prosecuted in connection with in attack.
Mr Jackson also refused to cooperate voluntarily, but he was not among those to whom a subpoena was issued. on Thursday.
Ms. Pelosi declined to comment except that she respects the committee work. Rep. Steny H. Hoyer of Maryland, Democrat No. 2 in the House of Representatives, said he was not worried that Republicans would try to push for revenge by issuing their own subpoenas in other studies, if any. win house.
“We should all be asked to tell truth before a committee that seeks information it is important for our country and our democracy,” said Mr Hoyer.
Michael S. Schmidt made a report.
