The Jan. 6 panel revealed on Friday that it summoned former President Donald Trump.
Last week during the public session, the committee revealed plans to subpoena the past president. It has apparently been scurrying behind the scenes to locate a Trump attorney to deliver the subpoena.
In its statement to Trump with the subpoena, the panel underscored his involvement in the attempts to reverse the election.
BREAKING: Jan. 6 committee formally issues subpoena to Donald Trump — https://t.co/OzljsNT0oF
— Hugo Lowell (@hugolowell) October 21, 2022
“Mounting Evidence”
Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-MS) and Vice Committee chair Liz Cheney (R-WY) asserted in a joint statement regarding the subpoena that Trump personally concocted and supervised a multi-part effort to invalidate the 2020 national election and impede the peaceful transition of power.
The committee demanded Trump submit the required documents by November 4 and appear for a hearing in person or via video link by November 14. Investigators seek Trump’s statement and documents crucial to the panel’s extensive research.
In its statement, the panel criticized the past president for spreading false claims that the 2020 election was “taken” from him, despite having been advised by staff that his election allegations were untrue.
The panel continued in the letter by saying Trump led the very first effort by a U.S. president to invalidate an election and block the peaceful transfer of power, which culminated in a deadly assault on the Capitol, as well as on Congress itself.
It also stated the committee anticipates his compliance with this subpoena.
Trump has apparently pondered the notion of giving testimony behind the scenes. However, he has remained silent in public regarding whether he will comply. In addition, he has criticized the committee as a “sham and witch hunt.”
Double Standards
Trump wrote an extended statement in response to the announcement that he would be subpoenaed.
He said the double standard of the Unselects is shocking and will never be tolerable, even to the people who will write the story of what they have done to America.
Now subpoena former VP Pence. The truth is too important, and we have not heard from this pivotal figure. https://t.co/NL5jjtZkhw
— Neal Katyal (@neal_katyal) October 21, 2022
Politico stated Trump hired the Dhillon Law Group to help him through the legal disputes with the committee. The firm has already defended defendants in the panel’s crosshairs, including Michael Flynn & Sebastian Gorka.
Some panel targets, like Steve Bannon and Peter Navarro, who disobeyed subpoena requests, have been charged with contempt of Congress. Friday, Bannon was ordered to four months in jail and fined $6,500 for his contempt charges.
Trump, as a former president, may file a lawsuit for the subpoena. Citing past precedents, the panel made it clear it believes it would succeed against any such court actions.
Cheney and Thompson wrote that after leaving office, each of the past presidents, John Tyler, John Quincy Adams, William Howard Taft, Theodore Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Herbert Hoover, and Gerald Ford, testified before Congress.
In addition, current and previous presidents, including Nixon, Tyler, and Adams, have delivered testimony in response to congressional summons.
A potential Republican capture of the House following the midterm elections is also a factor. Republicans expressed their intention to disband the committee or significantly alter its composition. Trump may attempt to play it out until then.
This article appeared in The Political Globe and has been published here with permission.
