The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol has issued a subpoena to a former Justice Department lawyer who positioned himself as an ally of Donald Trump and aided the Republican president’s efforts to challenge the results of the 2020 election.
The subpoena to Jeffrey Clark, revealed Wednesday, revealed that he was one of at least three who were involved and needed to hand over documents.
The demands for documents and testimony from Clark reflect the committee’s efforts to probe not only the deadly insurrection but also the tumult that roiled the Justice Department in the weeks leading up to it as Trump and his allies leaned on government lawyers to advance his baseless claims that the election results were fraudulent.
A Senate committee report issued last week shows how Clark championed Trump’s efforts to undo the election results and clashed as a result with Justice Department superiors who resisted the pressure, culminating in a dramatic White House meeting at which Trump ruminated about elevating Clark to attorney general.
“The Select Committee’s investigation has revealed credible evidence that you attempted to involve the Department of Justice in efforts to interrupt the peaceful transfer of power,” the chairman of the committee, Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, wrote in a letter to Clark announcing the subpoena.
While Trump ultimately did not appoint Clark acting attorney general, Clark’s “efforts risked involving the Department of Justice in actions that lacked evidentiary foundation and threatened to subvert the rule of law,” Thompson added.
The committee has scheduled a deposition for Oct. 29 and demanded documents by the same date. A lawyer for Clark declined to comment.
Others cooperating in the investigation have been slowly handing in evidence. They were given a Wednesday deadline to turn over documents and records. They have also been asked to appear at separate depositions the committee has scheduled.
Among those responding was Lyndon Brentnall, whose firm was hired to provide event security that day. “All the documents and communications requested by the subpoena were handed in,” he told The Associated Press.
Brentnall had previously said his firm had “every intention” of complying. “As far as we’re concerned, we ran security at a legally permitted event run in conjunction with the U.S. Secret Service and the Park Police,” he said.
Two longtime Trump campaign and White House staffers, Megan Powers and Hannah Salem, who were listed on the Jan 6. rally permit as “operations manager for scheduling and guidance” and “operations manager for logistics and communications,” have also provided documents or are planning to do so.
Powers, who served as the Trump reelection campaign’s director of operations, intends to provide the requested documentation and to meet with the committee — though it remains unclear what form such meetings will take, according to a person familiar with her response who spoke on condition of anonymity.
It remains unclear whether the others who were subpoenaed intend to cooperate. A committee spokesperson declined to comment Wednesday on the responses it had received and how many of the 11 were complying.
Members of the committee, including Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney, the panel’s Republican vice chairwoman, have threatened to pursue criminal contempt charges against subpoenaed witnesses who refuse to comply. A House vote would send those charges to the Justice Department, which would then decide whether to prosecute.
Many loyal Trump followers are outraged and still remain firm that voter fraud did occur during the election. They stand firm in their beliefs that Trump and his people are innocent. The Democrat’s will find nothing out of the ordinary when searching such said documents and records.
Ali Alexander, a rally organizer, wrote in a Telegram post Monday that the committee was “subpoenaing people in bad faith.”
“So maybe this Select Committee is bogus?” he added. “Everyone is waiting to see what I’ll do.”
If the so called bi-partisan committee on the 6th January event has the gall to pursue Criminal Contempt of Congress against subpoenaed witnesses, in all fairness it will be a test of the Attorney General Merrick Garland’s integrity and honesty.
Remember, during his confirmation hearings he had assured the Senate Committee to be apolitical. There is a pending Contempt of Congress charge against former Attorney General Holder that has not yet been followed through by the Department of Justice. LET GARLAND, THE IMPOSTER, EFFECTUATE THE CHARGES AGAINST HOLDER BEFRE HE DOES ANY ISSUED BY THE 6TH JANUARY COMMITTEE ON THE PRINCIPLE OF ‘FIRST COME FIRST SERVED.”
As it is Garland has a black eye from his collusion with the Biden White House in expeditiously noticing all parents in the United States as DOMESTIC TERRORISTS, when the true terrorists destroying the NATION are residing in the White House – at night and during the day- the staff, a bunch of liars and wolves in sheep’s clothing.