The House Elections Commission, which is investigating the January 6 attack on the Capitol, sent letters Monday to three Republicans in the House of Representatives seeking their testimony: Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) and Ronnie Jackson (R-Arizona). – Texas).
Why it matters: The letters escalate the committee members’ efforts to extract information from their Republican counterparts, doubling the total number of members sought by the committee.
- The first three lawmakers to question were House Leader Kevin McCarthy, House Speaker Scott Perry and House of Representatives Judge Jim Jordan.
- All three refused to appear voluntarily before the commission.
- Representative Benny Thompson (D-Miss.), Chairman of the committee, told Axios last week that he was still weighing the summons.
News: The letter to Jackson, a close ally of former President Trump who once served as his GP and medical adviser, includes texts between members of the far-right Guardians of the Oath, one of the groups involved in the attack.
- In the texts dated the afternoon of January 6, unidentified members of the group wrote that Jackson “needed [Oath Keeper] assistance ”and“ need protection ”because there is“ critical protection data ”.
- – Help for what? Stuart Rhodes, the group’s leader, sent a message. “Give him my cage.”
- “Why would these people be interested in your specific location?” Why would they believe that “you have critical data to protect?” Why direct their members to protect your personal safety? “Thompson wrote to Jackson.
Go deeper: Other letters cite recent revelations about members’ involvement on January 6 – taken either from the testimony of other witnesses or from public comments from members themselves.
What they say: “We call on our colleagues to join the hundreds of people who have shared information with the selected committee,” Thompson and Representative Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), Vice-chair of the committee, said in a statement.
The other side: “I will not take part in the relentless crusade of the illegitimate committee against President Trump and his allies,” Jackson told Axios.
- “I do not know or have been in contact with those who exchanged text messages about me on January 6,” he added.
What follows: There may be more requests to members if Thompson’s public comments are an indication.
- He told the Capitol last week that the tranche of demands would cover more than three lawmakers and include senators.
- A commission spokesman declined to comment on the recording.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated with a statement from representative Ronnie Jackson.
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