January 6 Panel attempts to interview three more GOP lawmakers

WASHINGTON. The House Committee is investigating the Jan. 6 incident. attack on The Capitol sent letters on Monday looking for an interview with three Republican members of Congress and panel claimed to have gathered evidence that some Republicans in the House of Representatives were seeking a presidential pardon in in aftermath of the violence that engulfed the Capitol.

Committee requested an interview with Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona, Mr. former leader of ultra-conservative Freedom House caucus; Rep. Mo Brooks of Alabama, who said former President Donald J. Trump continued to seek reinstatement office; and Rep. Ronnie Jackson of Texas Mr Trump former White House Doctor. All three quickly declined in an effort to draw a committee work as illegitimate.

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.

“Your name has been identified as a potential member in these efforts,” Representative Benny Thompson, Democrat of Mississippi and Rep. Liz Cheney, Republican of Wyoming, leaders of committee, wrote to Mr. Biggs. “We will like to understand all the details of request for pardon, more the specific reasons for which a pardon was requested and the scope of proposed pardon.

The committee also said it wanted interview Mr. Biggs about the December 21, 2020 meeting he attended at the White House. with several other members of Freedom caucus. There was a plan discussed in which former Vice President Mike Pence would unilaterally refuse to count certified selective votes on January 6.

The investigators stated that also there was evidence that Mr. Biggs tried to persuade state legislators join Trump’s push to cancel the 2020 election.

panel also wants to ask Mr. Biggs about Ali Alexander, the famous organizer of so-called Stop the Steal rallies with ties to far-right members of Congress who tried to invalidate the 2020 elections. results. Mr. Alexander said that he, along with with Mr. Biggs, Mr. Brooks and Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona, set in events of January 6 in motion.

“The four of us thought up of put maximum pressure on Congress while they voted,” Mr. Alexander said. in remote video posted online. He added that even if they couldn’t lobby lawmakers, “we could change hearts and minds of Republicans who we in that body hearing our loud roar from outside”.

The committee described Mr Alexander as “an early and aggressive of stop theft movement who called for violence before 6 January.

“We will like understand exactly what you knew before the violence on January 6 about goals, plans and expectations for march on Capitol,” Mr. Thompson and Ms. Cheney wrote to Mr. Biggs.

Mr Brooks, who carried body Armor on stage the day he told the crowd, “start taking down names and kick some asses,” and Mr. Biggs, who provided a video message for Mr Alexander play at a rally on December 19, they deny coordination event planning with Mr Alexander.

panel wants to ask 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.

Mr. Brooks said that Mr. Trump made request of his on several times since September 1, 2021. He said that former the president did not specify how Congress can renominate him, and Mr. Brooks repeatedly told him it was impossible.

“I told President Trump that the ‘cancellation’ of the 2020 election is not legal. option. Period, said Mr. Brooks.

Investigators said they have questions for Mr Jackson former white house doctor who now a member of Congress, on why it was mentioned in encrypted messages from the Oath Keepers, a militia group of some of members of which are prosecuted in connection with in attack. In the messages, the militias seem to have Mr. Jackson’s cell phone and say he “on in move’and’ needs protectionas the violence continued.

Members of The Oath Keepers, including their leader Stuart Rhodes, exchanged encrypted messages asking members of in organization provide Mr. Jackson personally with security assistance, assuming he “critical data to protect”, according to the federal prosecutors.

“Why might these people be interested in your specific location? Why did they believe that you have critical data to protect? Mr. Thompson and Miss Cheney wrote to Mr. Jackson. “Why would they order their members to protect your privacy? safety? Who did you talk to on the cell phone that day?”

January 6 Mr. Jackson posted Photo of himself at Mr Trump’s rally on The ellipse that preceded violence and posted on Twitter: “American patriots have your back, Mr. President! we will fight for YOU and we will fight for Our country!!”

Mr. Thompson and Ms. Cheney wrote to Mr. Jackson: “We would like discuss how and when you returned from Ellips to the Capitol, and the contacts you had with participants in rally or subsequent march from the Ellipse to the Capitol.”

In his statement, Mr. Jackson denied that in contact with members of Keepers of the Oath.

“I don’t know and I didn’t have contact with those who exchanged text messages about me on January 6,” Mr. Jackson said. “In fact I was proud help protect the house floor from those who posed a threat to my colleagues. Witch Hunt Committee against I am nothing more than a coordinated attempt to make mediax work on taxpayer’s pennies.

Mr Brooks said in statement that healready given the numerous affidavits and public January 6 statements.

“AT one time, I would voluntarily testify before the Nancy Pelosi witch-hunt committee, provided that the testimony was in public questions were congressmen and questions were limited events in connection with January 6,” he said. in statement citing the Speaker of the House of Representatives. “But that time is long gone. I would not help Nancy Pelosi and Liz Cheney cross the border street”.

Mr. Biggs said the committee is working with “prejudice” that “everyone is guilty and must prove their innocence”.

“Its whole purpose is to destroy President Trump and his supporters intimidate members of Congress and distract Americans from real problems that are destroying this country,” he said. in statement.

The Committee has so far preferred not issue subpoenas for testimony of members of Congress with reference to panel”huge respect for prerogatives of Congress and privacy of its members.”

“At the same time, we have a solemn responsibility to fully investigate the facts and circumstances. of these events,” wrote Mr Thompson and Ms Cheney.

panel It has already looking for an interview with Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California, Republican leader; Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio; and Rep. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania.

Everyone refused to meet with committee investigators.

panel interviewed more than 935 witnesses to date.

Letters to members of Congress comes after the committee has chosen up win in court late Sunday night against The Republican National Committee that tried to block the subpoena of the vendor Salesforce.com.

panel investigates how Mr Trump campaign and the Republican Party gathered hundreds of millions of dollars from donors when creating false allege that the election was stolen, and a federal judge ruled that investigators could obtain GNC email marketing data.

Committee on January 6 plans series of public hearings in June to reveal their findings. Mr. Thompson said it would take eight hearings. place over several weeks, starting June 9, some in prime time in attempt attract large television audience.

Alan Feuer made a report.