January 6 committee targets Kevin McCarthy

The House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the United States Capitol on Monday referred House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and three other Republican members of Congress to the committee on Monday. House Ethics for sanctions after refusing to comply with the committee’s subpoena.

The panel requested testimony from McCarthy, a key ally of former President Donald Trump who had multiple conversations with him during and after the Jan. 6 insurgency. The panel also wanted to hear from several GOP lawmakers involved in efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election, including Reps. Jim Jordan (Ohio), Scott Perry (Pennsylvania), Andy Biggs (Arizona), and Mo Brooks (Ala.) . Brooks is retiring and was not referred to the ethics committee on Monday.

The Jan. 6 committee said lawmakers’ refusal to comply with the subpoenas “reflects the discredit on Congress.”

“If left unpunished, such behavior undermines Congress’ longstanding power to investigate in support of its legislative authority and suggests that members of Congress may ignore legal obligations that apply to ordinary citizens,” the panel said in a Monday paper that also issued criminal dismissals. for Trump and others.

The referral of the four Republican deputies is however largely symbolic. The House Ethics Committee is made up of an equal number of Democrats and Republicans, and the panel’s GOP members are unlikely to agree to investigate their own members on the issue — especially McCarthy, the top House GOP member, who is running to become president.

Jordan took part in ‘Stop the Steal’ rallies ahead of January 6, 2021, spreading lies that the 2020 election was ‘stolen’, fueling anger among Trump supporters who rallied in the capital nation to besiege Congress. The Ohio Republican also urged former Vice President Mike Pence not to certify legitimate election votes on January 6.

Jordan is expected to lead GOP investigations into the Biden administration as chairman of the House Judiciary Committee next year. He will likely rely on the same power — that of Congressional subpoenas — that he has so far resisted with the Jan. 6 committee.

Perry was deeply involved in Trump’s attempt to nullify the election, linking the former president to a Justice Department lawyer who supported Trump’s efforts. He then requested a presidential pardon just before Trump left office, according to the Jan. 6 committee.

Biggs, who is launching a bid to deny McCarthy the presidency next year, also sought a presidential pardon after he participated in the plot to void the 2020 presidential election.

At its final hearing on Monday, the Jan. 6 committee presented four criminal charges it recommends the Justice Department levy against Trump: obstruction of official process, conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to to make false statements and incite an insurrection against the United States.

“Ours is not a justice system where foot soldiers go to jail and masterminds and ringleaders get a free pass,” Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) said during the proceedings.