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The Jan. 6 committee on Thursday issued subpoenas to several high-profile Republican members of Congress, signaling an escalation of the probe into the attack on the Capitol last Jan. 6.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) was one of the Republicans to receive a subpoena, along with Reps. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) and Scott Perry (R-Pa.). All five member had previously rejected committee requests to comply voluntarily.
“The Select Committee has learned that several of our colleagues have information relevant to our investigation into the attack on January 6th and the events leading up to it,” Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) said in a statement. “Before we hold our hearings next month, we wished to provide members the opportunity to discuss these matters with the committee voluntarily. Regrettably, the individuals receiving subpoenas today have refused and we’re forced to take this step to help ensure the committee uncovers facts concerning January 6th. We urge our colleagues to comply with the law, do their patriotic duty, and cooperate with our investigation as hundreds of other witnesses have done.”
The committee notes that McCarthy, who expressed outrage over the attack before softening his stance, was communicating with Trump before, during, and after the attack. The committee also notes that McCarthy said Trump told him he bears some responsibility for the attack. The admission was revealed late last month in audio leaked by The New York Times.
It’s long been known that Rep. Jordan communicated with Trump on Jan. 6, something Jordan has admitted. The committee also notes that Jordan was involved in talks about how to overturn the 2020 election results. Rep. Perry, the committee notes, was “directly involved with efforts to corrupt the Department of Justice and install Jeffrey Clark as acting Attorney General.” Reps. Biggs and Brooks were involved in the planning of the rally near the White House that preceded the Capitol attack, as Rolling Stone reported last year. Brooks also spoke at the rally. “Today is the day American patriots start taking down names and kicking ass,” he said, reportedly wearing body armor.
The Republicans subpoenaed on Thursday are unlikely to comply with the requests, which could prompt the committee to refer them for contempt charges. McCarthy bashed the inquiry soon after the committee announced the subpoenas. “They’re not conducting legitimate investigation,” he said, according to The Washington Post. “It seems as though they just want to go after their political opponents.”
The committee has scheduled public hearings for next month. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), who serves on the committee, said last month that the panel’s findings will “blow the roof off the House.”
