In an extraordinary development, the House Select Committee investigating the January 6 attack on the US Capitol has issued subpoenas to five House Republicans, including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy.
“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,” said the committee’s chairman, Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss, in a press release.
The panel wants to question McCarthy about his communications with former President Donald Trump, White House staff and others in the week after the January 6 attack, “particularly regarding President Trump’s state of mind at that time.” The committee also wanted to understand how McCarthy’s public comments since the attack had changed from critical to in defense of Trump, and questioned whether Trump pressured him to change his tone when the pair met in late January 2021.
In addition to McCarthy, the January 6 panel is subpoenaing Republican Reps. Jim Jordan of Ohio, Mo Brooks of Alabama, Andy Biggs of Arizona and Scott Perry of Pennsylvania.
Don't Miss
All five Republicans had previously refused the panel’s requests to voluntarily cooperate with the investigation.
RELATED: Jim Jordan Almost Has Seizure Trying To Deflect Question About His Call With Trump On Jan 6.
The dramatic step comes less than a month before the House committee begins a series of public hearings on the Trump-led Jan 6 insurrection.
This story is breaking and will be updated
BREAKING: Jan. 6 committee to subpoena House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy and four other Republicans: Jordan, Biggs, Brooks, Perry per sources familiar
— Hugo Lowell (@hugolowell) May 12, 2022
