WASHINGTON ( Associated Press) – The US House Committee investigating Capitol Hill on January 6, 2021 formally issued a subpoena Friday for former President Donald Trump, an effort that lawmakers say was “personally orchestrated”. coordinated to reverse the results of the 2020 election. ,
The warrant is the latest and most notable escalation in the investigation into the deadly January 6 attack, which has put the commission in direct conflict with the person they are investigating remotely, through statements from associates, associates and partners.
In a letter to Trump’s lawyers, the nine-member panel demanded that the former president testify under oath, either on Capitol Hill or by videoconference, “on or around November 14” and continue for several days. if necessary. The letter also requested a series of documents related to him and the legislators, as well as personal communications with extremist groups.
“We believe that the summons to a former president is an important and historic step,” Commission Chairman Benny Thompson and Vice President Liz Cheney wrote in the letter. “We do not take this measure lightly.”
It was unclear how Trump and his legal team would respond to the order. The former president could follow the order, negotiate with the panel, or simply ignore it. You can also appeal it in court.
A Trump spokesperson did not immediately return a request for comment.
The commission alleged in its letter that it had gathered “enormous evidence” that Trump “personally” conducted a campaign to reverse his own defeat in the 2020 election, spreading false allegations of widespread fraud, “corruption”. attempt to do”. And pressurizing state officials, legislators, and their own vice president to try to change the results.
However, lawmakers say the key details of what Trump said and did during the Capitol siege remain to be known. According to the commission, the only person who can fill those gaps is Trump himself.
A panel of seven Democrats and two Republicans approved the summons in a surprise vote last week. The vote was unanimous.
The next day, Trump posted a lengthy memo on his social network Truth Social, in which he reiterated his false claims of fraud and expressed “anger, dismay and complaint” that the commission was not investigating its own claims. He did not mention the summons.
The summons seeks testimony about Trump’s dealings with several former aides and aides who have called for their constitutional rights against self-incrimination before the panel, including Roger Stone, Michael Flynn, John Eastman, Jeffrey Clark and Kelly Ward. Are included.
The commission made 19 requests for documents and communications, including specific to any messages Trump sent through the encrypted messaging app Signal “or any other means” to members of Congress and others about the January 6 violent events. requests are included.
The magnitude of the request is wide-ranging — requesting documents from September 1, 2020, two months before the election, on Trump’s communications with oath defenders, the Proud Boys and other extremist groups to the present — as the panel compiles records from the period before the Capitol. The attack and what happened after that.
There are some legal advantages for Trump cooperating with the commission, as he already faces other civil and criminal battles in several jurisdictions, including over his family business in New York and his property in Mar-a-Lake. Includes handling of presidential documents. Florida.
