The House committee launched by Rep. Nancy Pelosi to investigate the Jan. 6, 2021 storming of the U.S. Capitol on Thursday announced subpoenas for five Republican members of Congress — Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Scott Perry, Jim Jordan, Andy Biggs, and Mo Brooks.
The committee had previously sent letters over several months to the five Congressmen to testify before the committee voluntarily, but they did not respond. The committee believes the Congressmen “have relevant knowledge of the events on or leading up to January 6th and activities related to the transfer of power,” because of direct conversations they had with then-President Donald Trump ahead of the Jan. 6 events.
Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson said, “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. 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 claims McCarthy communicated with Trump “before, during, and after the attack on January 6,” including a conversation immediately after the events in which Trump allegedly “admitted some culpability for the attack,” the statement said.
Shortly after the announcement, McCarthy said he had not received a subpoena, but said it seems like a political move.
“I have not seen the subpoena. I guess they sent it to you guys before they sent it to me,” he told the Washington Examiner on Thursday. “Look, my view on the committee has not changed. They’re not conducting a legitimate investigation. It seems as though they just want to go after their political opponents.”
Perry released a statement on Twitter saying, “That this illegitimate body leaked their latest charade to the media ahead of contacting targeted Members is proof once again that this political witch hunt is about fabricating headlines and distracting Americans from their abysmal record of running America into the ground.”
