The Jan. 6 committee formally summons Trump and says he “organized” an attempt to overturn the election
The Congressional inquiry into the Jan. 6 attack on the US Capitol formally asked Donald Trump to produce documents and testimonies under oath.
The Jan. 6 House of Representatives nine-member committee said it had sent a subpoena to the former president, setting the stage for a potentially historic court battle and possible criminal charges for Trump if he refuses to comply.
And it comes just 18 days before the midterm elections, adding fuel to an already hot political season.
In a covering letter, Chairman Bennie Thompson and Vice-Chairman Liz Cheney said: “As demonstrated in our hearings, we have gathered overwhelming evidence, including from dozens of your former appointees and associates, that you personally orchestrated and oversaw a multi-part effort leading up to the presidential election.” 2020 and to hinder the peaceful transition of power.’
They ordered Trump, 76, to produce the documents by November 4 and to appear for testimony on or about November 14.
It was issued on the day that Steve Bannon, one of Trump’s former top advisers, was sentenced to four months in prison for failing to cooperate with lawmakers.
The House Select Committee investigating Jan. 6 said Friday it had sent a subpoena to former President Donald Trump demanding that he turn over documents and sit for testimony
Former President Donald Trump has until November 4 to respond. He is seen here at a rally on the Ellipse near the White House before his supporters stormed the US Capitol
A mob of Trump supporters clashed with police and stormed the Capitol on January 9 last year after hearing the then-president rail against the 2020 election result and repeating his baseless allegations of fraud.
They fought into the building with sledgehammers, tasers, poles and chemical irritants to block congressional confirmation of Joe Biden’s victory.
During its public hearings, the committee investigated witnesses about Trump’s role in inciting protesters and whether he truly believed he was the rightful winner.
In their final public hearing, the committee’s seven Democratic and two Republican members voted unanimously to subpoena Trump.
In their letter, the leader and vice-leader say his legal efforts to overturn the 2020 election results have been rejected by 60 courts, pointing out that even his own Justice Department and advisers had told him the election was lost .
“In short, you were at the center of a US President’s first and only attempt to overturn an election and impede the peaceful transfer of power, which ultimately culminated in a bloody attack on our own Capitol and on Congress itself,” they write.
Trump supporters clashed with police when they stormed the US Capitol in Washington, DC on January 6 last year to prevent Congress from confirming Joe Biden’s victory
At least 900 people have been arrested after violence that shook the world
The Jan. 6 committee said its investigation included 1,000 witnesses, a million documents and hours of public hearings
They said Trump’s efforts to overturn the election and prevent a peaceful transfer of power were multifaceted.
These included: “filing false information under oath in federal court; He rallied tens of thousands of supporters to Washington and sent them to the Capitol, knowing they were angry and some armed.”
The letter also sets out the scope of their investigation into a riot that shocked the nation. It included more than 1000 witnesses and a million documents.
Trump did not immediately respond to the subpoena.
But last week, a source familiar with his thinking said he wanted to testify live before the committee to denounce that it was a witch hunt.
The spectacle would be a ratings blockbuster, but the committee has denied all but one witness request to attach conditions to their testimony.
When Trump needed additional pressure to cooperate, he came Friday morning at a Washington, DC courthouse.
One of his top cheerleaders was told he was going to jail for ignoring a subpoena.
Bannon, 68, was convicted in July of two counts of contempt of Congress for refusing to provide documents and failing to testify.
“In my view, Mr. Bannon has not accepted responsibility for his actions,” US District Judge Carl Nichols said in federal court in Washington before handing down the verdict.
“Others must be prevented from committing similar crimes.”
Bannon spoke to the media as he arrived in court to be sentenced in Washington, DC on October 21, 2022. He was sentenced to four months in prison for two counts of contempt for Congress
Bannon spoke to Trump at least twice on Jan. 5, 2021, attended a planning meeting at the Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C., and announced on his podcast, “Tomorrow all hell will break loose,” according to the Jan. 6 committee
Bannon was released because his sentence will only come into effect after he has had an opportunity to appeal.
“Today was my court day,” Bannon said as he left the court. “November 8th is Judgment Day on the illegitimate Biden regime and frankly on Nancy Pelosi and the entire committee.”
“Either they’ve already been pushed out like Liz Cheney… or they’re about to be beaten.”
According to the committee, Bannon spoke to Trump at least twice on Jan. 5, attended a planning meeting at the Willard Hotel in Washington, DC, and said on his podcast, “Tomorrow all hell will break loose.”
He is the first Trump ally to be jailed in connection with the riots.
He was also the first person to be found guilty of contempt of Congress since Attorney General Richard Kleindienst and Watergate burglar G. Gordon Liddy were convicted in 1974.
Another Trump aide, Peter Navarro, was charged with contempt of Congress after defying a subpoena and faces court in November.
Former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and former head of social media Dan Scavino were expelled from the House of Representatives for contempt of Congress, but the DOJ declined to pursue a prosecution.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11341651/January-6-committee-formally-subpoenas-Trump-saying-orchestrated-effort-overturn-election.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 The Jan. 6 committee formally summons Trump and says he “organized” an attempt to overturn the election
