Hours after rioters stormed the Capitol, Vice President Mike Pence listens after reading the final confirmation of the Electoral College votes in the November presidential election.
J. Scott Applewhite / AP
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J. Scott Applewhite / AP
Hours after rioters stormed the Capitol, Vice President Mike Pence listens after reading the final confirmation of the Electoral College votes in the November presidential election.
J. Scott Applewhite / AP
Rep. Bennie Thompson, chair of the Democratic-led House selection committee investigating the January 6 attack on the Capitol, said it expected to ask former Vice President Mike Pence to volunteer. appeared this month.
Pence’s role on the day of the siege drew close interest from the committee, as it reviewed Trump’s actions that day, as well as the days leading up to the siege. Trump has been pressure Pence relinquished his ceremonial role and dismissed President Biden’s election results in several key states.
Thompson, D-Miss., shared the time plan for the Pence question in an interview with NPR.
“I think you can expect that before the end of the month,” Thompson speak.
He described Pence’s appearance as crucial, especially as a former deputy finally the president issued a letter before the January 6 proceedings said he would not be stepping down from his ceremonial role.
Thompson, D-Miss, said: “The vice president has been put in a difficult position. “And out of respect for the law, there were people who came to the Capitol a year ago wanting to hang him. And so, for no other reason, our committee really needs to hear from him about what happened on January 6th. . “
The committee will meet next week behind closed doors, and is expected to solidify final plans involving Pence and the voluntary request thereafter, Thompson said.
Seeking information from Ivanka Trump and others
The effort comes as the committee moves into a new phase of their investigation, with a closer look at Trump’s inner circle and new public requests for voluntary testimony. In recent weeks, the committee has asked that the personality of Fox News Sean Hannity and GOP Representative. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania and Jim Jordan of Ohio, before the panel.
No one showed any signs of interest to do so.
Thompson did not rule out asking for additional witnesses from within Trump, including his daughter and former senior White House adviser Ivanka Trump.
“See how open we are to anyone who voluntarily comes to the committee,” Thompson said. “If, in fact, we think someone has information that as a committee we need, and that it is important to receive a subpoena for that person’s participation, then we will do that.”
The committee obtained information that Ivanka Trump tried to urge her father to stop the riots several times that day, Thompson and other members said.
“We have information that Ivanka was trying to get the president to stop what’s happening on Capitol Hill. We don’t have all the information. That’s why we’d love to have access,” Thompson said. .
Thompson said more details of Ivanka Trump’s request to her father regarding the attack can be found in White House documents, the subject of an ongoing legal battle. Trump has lost several rounds in federal courts seeking to block the committee’s access to a range of those documents and is now asking the Supreme Court to intervene.
“So we thought that once we had access to that, it would help clarify all the drip and silly information we were getting,” Thompson said.
The Commission has issued more than 50 subpoenasinterviewed about 350 witnesses, received more than 45,000 documents, and pursued nearly 350 tips.
The committee is also assessing whether Trump or others should be considered referring criminals for their actions in connection with the siege. The House of Representatives has so far approved two committee criminal referrals for the former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and former strategist Steve Bannon.
Thompson said the committee is also working to make “important recommendations” for the new legislation. This could include reforms to the Voter Count Act or new penalties for obstructing an official process, such as certifying presidential election results.
“Because one of the dangers, is if the insurgents succeed, get votes from different states and get destroyed,” Thompson said, “we will have an unending constitutional crisis. . “
The panel is racing to complete its investigation before the midterm elections in November, as Republicans could regain control of the House next year and shut down the investigation.
Members said hearings to present those findings could be held this spring or summer.
