January 6: At least five former Trump White House staffers are talking to the House committee
The 5 former staffers who’ve had conversations with the committee have finished so with both members or their employees. Some imagine they’ve info price sharing, whereas others are hoping to keep away from being legally compelled to speak to the committee.
“I’ve acquired good motive to imagine various them are horrified and scandalized by what passed off on January sixth and so they wish to do their authorized responsibility and their civic responsibility by coming ahead to clarify precisely what occurred,” Rep. Jamie Raskin, a Democratic member of the committee, mentioned on CNN’s “The Lead with Jake Tapper” Tuesday. “We’ll proceed to encourage all people who has related info to return and speak.”
The engagement may present perception for the committee that is looking for to be taught extra in regards to the actions of former President Donald Trump and his supporters within the lead as much as the riot.
In line with 5 former Trump aides, counsel for the committee has emailed or texted them on to ask whether or not they’re concerned with coming in to speak to the congressional investigators, typically searching for context on what occurred contained in the West Wing earlier than the revolt on January 6.
Whereas a number of individuals have voluntarily sat down with the committee, others have declined the committee’s request or not responded in any respect. The outreach has ranged from junior-level staffers to extra seasoned officers.
The outreach shouldn’t be essentially as a result of the committee believes the staffers have been concerned in what occurred that day. However the investigative employees seems to be making an attempt to glean extra context on what was occurring contained in the West Wing earlier than, throughout and after the assault, in line with the sources.
A committee spokesman declined to remark.
Information of the outreach comes as Trump is engaged in a authorized battle over the committee’s investigation. Trump has sued the committee and the Nationwide Archives in an try and defend paperwork from them. And an lawyer for the previous President lately instructed 4 former Trump administration officers — Mark Meadows, Dan Scavino, Stephen Bannon and Kash Patel — to not present any testimony or paperwork to the investigative panel, claiming they’re protected “from disclosure by the chief and different privileges, together with amongst others the presidential communications, deliberative course of, and attorney-client privileges.”
This story has been up to date with further particulars.
CNN’s Ryan Nobles contributed to this report.
