During its last public hearing on Thursday, the United States (US) Special House Committee investigating the 6 January Capitol Hill insurrection unanimously voted to subpoena former President Donald Trump to testify and procure documents.
Ahead of the vote, the panel’s chairman, Representative Bennie Thompson (D-MI), said that the Committee is obligated to seek Trump’s testimony, affirming, “This is a question about accountability to the American people. He must be accountable. He is required to answer for his actions.” He also noted that the panel recognised that summoning a former president is a “serious and extraordinary action.”
Today, at 10th Jan 6 hearing
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) October 13, 2022
- Subpoena for Trump testimony and docs
- New video of Hill leaders in shelter
- Evidence Trump tried to stay in office and would declare victory regardless of outcome
- What Secret Service knew ahead of Jan. 6
- Potential criminal referrals coming pic.twitter.com/RlRA4NuGYG
In a similar vein, the Committee’s vice chair, Representative Liz Cheney (R-WY), remarked, “We are obligated to seek answers directly from the man who set this all in motion. And every American is entitled to those answers.”
The vote came after more than a two-hour session, with Cheney saying in her opening statement that they would be focusing on Trump’s “state of mind, his intent, his motivations, and how he spurred others to do his bidding, and how another January 6 could happen again if we do not take necessary action to prevent it.”
The committee releases a Secret Service email from the day SCOTUS rejected Trump's lawsuit challenging the 2020 election. Imagine the scene. #Jan6Hearings pic.twitter.com/rczXJVhPdE
— David Corn (@DavidCornDC) October 13, 2022
Unlike previous hearings, there was no live testimony; each panel member showcased some never-before-seen footage of lawmakers during the insurrection, video testimonies from previous witnesses at the hearings, and, information from countless emails, documents, and recordings from the Secret Service. In this respect, the panel aired evidence from Secret Service agents and intelligence officials who said they expected violence at a pro-Trump rally before January 6, and alleged that there were hordes of weapons around Washington. In fact, a 26 December Secret Service email read: “Their plan is to literally kill people. Please please take this tip seriously and investigate further.”
According to panel member, Representative Pete Aguilar (D-CA), the Committee aims to continue investigating the Secret Service’s role, including testimony on “potential obstruction” and “advice given not to tell the committee” about some incidents.
an angry Schumer during a call from a secure location with acting AG Rosen on January 6: "Why don't you get the president to tell them to leave the Capitol, Mr. attorney general, in your law enforcement responsibility." pic.twitter.com/SbZ5gIMYec
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 13, 2022
During one section of the hearing, the panel showed a video of a visibly shocked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi at a secure location with her colleagues on January 6 calling up Governors of other states and law enforcement officials to request for the National Guard to control the riots. Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), too, was seen speaking with the then-Acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen, saying, “Why don’t you get the president to tell them to leave the Capitol, Mr. Attorney General, in your law enforcement responsibility?”
The Committee also showed evidence that Trump had already planned to declare himself victorious way before the ballot count. According to Judicial Watch head Tom Fitton, he had planned to announce his win by ignoring legal early and absentee votes. In this regard, Democratic Representative Zoe Lofgren from California asserted, “It was intentional, it was premeditated, it was not based on election results or any evidence of actual fraud affecting the results or any actual problems with voting machines.”
New: Former Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale testified to Jan. 6 committee that Trump planned to declare victory in the 2020 election even if he lost as early as July
— Hugo Lowell (@hugolowell) October 13, 2022
Additionally, the Committee revealed that Trump secretly ordered the withdrawal of all American troops from Afghanistan and Somalia after losing the election, with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley calling his action “potentially dangerous” in a video testimony, adding that Trump suggested leaving the problem to “the next guy.” However, the action was not implemented.
Trump condemned the subpoena, saying, “Why didn’t the Unselect Committee ask me to testify months ago? Why did they wait until the very end, the final moments of their last meeting? Because the Committee is a total ‘BUST’ that has only served to further divide our Country which, by the way, is doing very badly – A laughing stock all over the World?”
Likewise, Trump spokesperson Taylor Budowich asserted that he “will not be intimidated by their meritless rhetoric or un-American actions.”
Trump’s subpoena options:
— Sarah Isgur (@whignewtons) October 13, 2022
1) ignore & make DOJ’s job easy a la Bannon;
2) contest it (but see SCOTUS in Trump v Mazars);
3) plead 5th (can’t answer ANY related questions or give substantive opening statements);
....or 4) testify before the biggest audience he’s had in years.
The former president is expected to refuse the summons, which could lead the lawmakers to charge him with Contempt of Congress, which carries a prison sentence of 1-12 months if convicted. Trump ally and former campaign manager Stephen Bannon has been indicted for the same charge; his sentencing is scheduled on 21 October. However, if the Republicans win the mid-term elections on 8 November, they will almost certainly shut down the Committee.
About 880 people have been convicted over their involvement in the Capitol Hill insurrection, which injured 140 police officers and killed five people.