Jan. 6 Committee votes unanimously to subpoena Trump

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The congressional committee investigating the rioting at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 voted unanimously to subpoena former President Donald Trump on Thursday.

The committee presented witnesses and evidence meant to tie Trump directly to the violence at the capital before voting to call him to testify.

"We are obligated to seek answers directly from the man who set this all in motion. And every American is entitled to those answers so we can act now to protect our Republic," said Republican Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, the vice chair of the committee.

The subpoena asked for testimony under oath from the former president as well as documents relating to the attack.

"We just voted unanimously to subpoena Donald Trump," tweeted Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois. "Our democracy demands it. Our constitution demands it. The truth demands it."

The committee presented evidence in support of its contention that Trump knew he had lost the election but persisted in seeking to stay in power. Among that evidence was a secret order to withdraw all U.S. troops from Afghanistan and Somalia days after the election. Testimony from Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, claimed that Trump wanted to leave the problem up "to the next guy."

Among those critical of the subpoena was Republican Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona.

"The illegitimate January 6 Committee's vote to subpoena President Trump is a political hatchet job read by a political hatchet committee," tweeted Biggs.

"This committee is illegitimately formed, in violation of House rules, and is organized to search and destroy perceived political enemies," he added.

The committee is expected to issue a final report in December before it shuts down in January.

Here's more about the Jan. 6 vote:

WATCH: Jan. 6 panel votes to subpoena Trumpwww.youtube.com

Jury finds Steve Bannon guilty on contempt of Congress charges for defying subpoena from Jan. 6 committee



A federal jury found Steve Bannon guilty of two charges of contempt of Congress for refusing a subpoena from the committee investigating the Jan. 6 rioting at the U.S. Capitol.

The 68-year-old former Trump advisor lambasted the committee in a statement to the media after the court hearing.

"I only have one disappointment and that is the gutless members of that show trial committee, the J6 Committee didn't have the guts to come down here and testify in open court," said Bannon, who also thanked the jury and the judge.

Bannon had vowed to fight the "misdemeanor from hell" and "go medieval on these people" ahead of the contempt trial. Instead, his lawyers called no witnesses and opted to present no defense in the case.

“We didn’t feel the need to put on a defense,” said attorney Evan Corcoran to the jury.

The jury deliberated for only about three hours.

Each charge of contempt of Congress carries a sentence of between 30 days and one year in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 21.

Bannon had argued that he was protected from testifying under the executive privilege invoked by former President Donald Trump about his role in the Jan. 6 rioting.

His lawyers vowed to appeal the ruling and complained that the judge didn't allow certain arguments to be made on behalf of their client.

“This is a bulletproof appeal,” said attorney David Schoen. “The overreaching by the government in this case has been extraordinary at every level.”

U.S. Attorney for D.C. Matthew Graves praised the jury for the ruling.

“The subpoena to Stephen Bannon was not an invitation that could be rejected or ignored,” Graves said. “Mr. Bannon had an obligation to appear before the House Select Committee to give testimony and provide documents. His refusal to do so was deliberate and now a jury has found that he must pay the consequences.”

Here's more about the Bannon verdict:

Steve Bannon found guilty of contempt chargeswww.youtube.com

Jan. 6 Committee requests cooperation from Sean Hannity and releases texts from the Fox News host about the attack



The congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6 rioting at the U.S. Capitol requested voluntary cooperation from Fox News host Sean Hannity and released related texts from him to the White House.

The development was first reported by Jonathan Swan at Axios.

The committee has subpoenaed more than two dozen former officials of the former Trump administration but has been rebuffed by some who have filed lawsuits to block the requests for testimony and documents related to the events of Jan. 6.

In the letter requesting Hannity's cooperation, the committee outlined texts from the host to Mark Meadows, who was the White House chief of staff at the time.

"We can't lose the entire WH counsel's office," read a text from Hannity to Meadows on December 31. "I do not see January 6 happening the way he is being told. After the 6th. He should announce will lead the nationwide effort to reform voting integrity. Go to Fl and watch Joe mess up daily. Stay engaged. When he speaks people will listen."

In another text to Meadows and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) on Jan. 10, Hannity appeared to reference a phone call he had with Trump.

"Guys, we have a clear path to land the plane in 9 days. He can't mention the election again. Ever. I did not have a good call with him today," wrote Hannity. "And worse, I'm not sure what is left to do or say, and I don't like not knowing if it's truly understood. Ideas?"

The committee asked Hannity to schedule a time for him to provide his testimony, and went on to express interest in other communications at the time of the attack.

"We are also interested in other communications you may have had with the White House, the President, the Trump legal team or any other persons involved in the events of January 6th," the letter read. "We now ask you to preserve all records of such communications."

Sean Hannity's attorney Jay Sekulow responded with a short statement.

“If true, any such request would raise serious constitutional issues including First Amendment concerns regarding freedom of the press," said Sekulow.

Here's more about the Jan. 6 rioting:

Biden set to speak on anniversary of Jan. 6 insurrectionwww.youtube.com

Former NYC police  commissioner agrees to testify for Jan 6 committee, but demands an apology for false accusation



Former New York City police commissioner Bernie Kerik agreed to testify before the Jan. 6 Congressional Committee, but demanded an apology for false statements made about him.

Kerik is among the more than two dozen aides and allies of former President Donald Trump that have been subpoenaed by the committee in their investigation of the rioting at the U.S. Capitol.

While he says that he is willing to testify, he is demanding the panel retract a claim that he attended an alleged meeting on Jan. 5 where Trump and the other participants plotted to decertify the official results of the presidential election.

Kerik says he did not attend the meeting in Washington because he was attending to a family matter in New York.

"For these reasons, Mr. Kerik demands that both the letter and press release be withdrawn or corrected and an apology issued. Whether intentional or negligent, allowing these false statements to stand on the website of this committee is improper and should be corrected," wrote Timothy Parlatore, an attorney for Kerik.

Parlatore said that Kerik would testify but that he requested a 30 day extension to attend to the question of executive privilege and to collect the documents they demanded.

"Notwithstanding the significant issues outlined above, Mr. Kerik still intends to comply with the subpoena. However, we will need additional time to comply due to the volume of documents and privilege issues," Parlatore said.

Former Trump campaign official Stephen Bannon refused the subpoena from the committee on the basis of a similar claim of executive privilege. That argument was rejected by the House of Representatives, who voted for him to be held in contempt of Congress.

Bannon was indicted by a federal grand jury and he was arrested over the charges. He has warned that the incident would become the "misdemeanor from hell" for the Democrats.

Kerik was pardoned by Trump in 2020 over felony charges that included tax fraud and lying to White House officials. He had served a four year prison sentence for the convictions.

Here's more about the Jan. 6 Committee:

Jan. 6 Committee Issues Subpoenas To Proud Boys, Oath Keeperswww.youtube.com

Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon indicted by federal grand jury over Jan. 6 subpoena



Former Trump campaign adviser Steve Bannon was indicted by a federal grand jury over his refusal to comply with a subpoena from the Jan. 6 congressional committee.

The committee investigating the Jan. 6 rioting at the U.S. Capitol subpoenaed Bannon to appear on Oct. 14 before the panel. It was one of almost 3 dozen subpoenas the committee has issued to former Trump officials and aides.

Bannon was charged with two counts of contempt of Congress, one related to his failure to appear and another for failure to produce documents requested. His lawyer had sent a statement to Congress saying that he would not respond until the claims of executive privilege by former President Donald Trump were settled.

Prosecutors issued an arrest warrant for Bannon, who is expected to surrender himself to custody on Monday.

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland released a statement announcing the indictment on Friday.

"Since my first day in office, I have promised Justice Department employees that together we would show the American people by word and deed that the department adheres to the rule of law, follows the facts and the law and pursues equal justice under the law," he claimed.

If convicted of the crime, Bannon could face up to a year in prison and a fine between $100 and $1,000 for each of the two counts.

The House of Representatives voted in favor of a criminal contempt referral for Bannon in late October.

The indictment could serve as a warning to others who have been subpoenaed but have yet to comply with the demands of the Jan. 6 committee.

Democrat Rep. Adam Schiff of California specifically cited it as a warning in a tweet he posted after the indictment was reported.

"A grand jury just indicted Steve Bannon for contempt of Congress. Let this send a message to all those with knowledge of the attack on our democracy: The days of defying subpoenas with impunity are over," tweeted Schiff.

A grand jury just indicted Steve Bannon for contempt of Congress.\n\nLet this send a message to all those with knowledge of the attack on our democracy:\n\nThe days of defying subpoenas with impunity are over.\n\nWe will expose those responsible for Jan 6.\n\nNo one is above the law.

— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) 1636754063

"We will expose those responsible for Jan 6," he added. "No one is above the law."

Here's more about the indictment against Bannon:

Steve Bannon indicted for contempt of Congresswww.youtube.com

Jan. 6 committee issues subpoenas for Kayleigh McEnany, Stephen Miller, and 8 other former Trump staffers



The House committee investigating the events of Jan. 6 issued 10 subpoenas on Tuesday for former Trump staffers, including former White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany and former senior advisor Stephen Miller.

Six subpoenas were also issued on Monday.

Others included on the subpoena list Tuesday were Keith Kellogg, a national security adviser to then-Vice President Mike Pence, and Nicholas Luna, a former personal assistant to Trump.

"As a White House Press Secretary you made multiple public statements from the White House and elsewhere about purported fraud in the November 2020 election, which individuals who attacked the U.S. Capitol echoed on Jan. 6," read the subpoena to McEnany.

Committee Chair Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) said in a statement that they were seeking to uncover any evidence that Trump participated in plotting to overturn the outcome of the election.

"We believe the witnesses subpoenaed today have relevant information and we expect them to comply fully with the Select Committee's investigation as we work to get answers for the American people, make recommendations on changes to the law to protect our democracy, and help ensure that nothing like January 6th ever happens again," wrote Thompson.

Also on Tuesday Trump lost a legal bid to keep his White House documents from the Jan. 6 committee when a federal judge ruled that the National Archive needed to hand them over. Trump had previously requested that current President Joe Biden extend executive privilege to protect the documents but he refused in early October.

The House of Representatives also voted to hold Stephen Bannon, a former advisor on the Trump campaign in 2016, in contempt for his refusal to answer a subpoena from the committee. Bannon argued that his correspondence with Trump falls under executive privilege.

Bannon could face up to a year in prison and a maximum fine of $100,000 if U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland choses to press criminal charges and he's found guilty.

Here's more about the Jan. 6 committee investigation:

Jan. 6 Committee Subpoenas Top Trump Campaign Officialswww.youtube.com