The three GOP lawmakers who received the letters were: Andy Biggs of Arizona, Mo Brooks of Alabama and Ronnie Jackson of Texas. Earlier, the committee sent letters to House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, a Republican from California, as well as to Scott Perry of Pennsylvania and Jim Jordan of Ohio.
“The Electoral Committee has learned that several of our colleagues have information related to our investigation into the facts, circumstances and causes of January 6. As we work to provide answers to the American people about this day, we feel it is a patriotic duty for all Witnesses to cooperate, “said Republican President Benny Thompson, Mississippi Democrat and Wyoming Republican Vice President Liz Cheney.
The commission said it was seeking information from members who “attended White House meetings and had direct talks with President Trump before and during the Capitol attack.”
The panel is also seeking information from those “who participated in the planning and coordination of the rallies on and before January 6.”
“We call on our colleagues to join the hundreds of people who have shared information with the selected committee to get to the bottom of what happened on January 6,” Thompson and Cheney said in a statement.
In response to the commission’s request, Jackson made it clear that he would not cooperate in the ongoing investigation.
“I will not participate in the relentless crusade of the illegitimate committee against President Trump and his allies,” he said in a statement received from CNN.
Andy Biggs
In a letter to Biggs, the committee said it was “aware of your participation in certain planning meetings, both in person at the White House and remotely, on various aspects of January 6 planning.”
The panel refers to a meeting at the White House on December 21, 2020, attended by Biggs and other members of the House of Freedom caucus.
The testimony received by the elected committee suggests that the discussion that day (and subsequent meetings) focused, among other things, on a plan that Vice President Pence, as chair of the joint session on January 6, will unilaterally refuse to counts certain certified electoral votes of the states, “the letter said.
He also noted the recent opinion of a federal judge in California that it was “more likely than not” that former President Donald Trump committed a crime.
The letter goes on to say that the committee wants to know “exactly” what Biggs knew before the violence of January 6, 2021, “about the goals, planning and expectations of the Capitol campaign.”
The committee notes that rally organizer Ali Alexander said publicly that he, Biggs and other Freedom Caucus members were discussing the idea of bringing protesters to Washington, DC, on January 6.
The letter then said he had communications between Biggs and former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, which raised questions about “your efforts to convince lawmakers and officials that the 2020 election was stolen and / or seek help from these individuals in President Trump’s efforts to cancel the election. “
Finally, the commission says “recent information from former White House officials identifies efforts by some Republicans in the House of Representatives after Jan. 6 to seek a presidential pardon for activities undertaken in connection with President Trump’s efforts to overturn the presidential election in 2020
“Your name has been identified as a potential participant in this effort,” the letter said.
Mo Brooks
The commission turned to Brooks after he recently revealed that Trump had repeatedly asked him to work to annul the 2020 election and remove Joe Biden from office.
“The exchange you uncovered with the former president is directly related to the subject of our investigation and seems to provide further evidence of President Trump’s intention to return to power through illegal means,” the commission wrote.
Ronnie Jackson
The panel also wants to talk to Jackson about his relationship with the Guardians of the Oath after text messages revealed that the group was trying to protect him while he was in the Capitol on January 6. Members of the group, including its leader, Steward Rhodes, have been accused of plotting a rebellion. Jackson was also at the Ellipse rally on January 6, which preceded the Capitol riot.
“Ronnie Jackson’s (Texas) office in the Capitol – he needs it [Oath Keeper] help. Everyone inside, “reads one message.
Another statement from a guardian of the oath revealed that Jackson had “critical data for protection.”
The commission wrote in its letter to Jackson that the text messages “raise several specific questions” to which they want to receive an answer.
This story was updated with further developments on Monday.
Add Comment