An Open Letter To: The House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Insurrection
Despite the 2022 Mid-term Elections being over one year away, time is actually growing quite short for Nancy Pelosi’s select committee investigating the January 6th insurrection.
Last week, the House speaker signaled that the Committee would soon be focusing on sitting members of Congress who, in her words, “participated in the big ‘lie.’”
The select committee’s chair, Democratic Representative Bennie G. Thompson of Mississippi, has said that he has “no reluctance to subpoena” members of Congress “whose testimony is germane to the mission of the select committee” if they refuse to cooperate voluntarily. The question of whether members of the House GOP knew about or were involved in the events of January 6th falls squarely within the legitimate scope of the investigatory committee.
However, there is no established historical or legal precedent regarding congressional power to enforce subpoenas against members of Congress. So, those Republican congressmen (and women) who openly promoted the “big lie” will inevitably seek court ordered actions to block the enforcement of the committee’s subpoenas. These delaying actions, even if unsuccessful, should stall the committee’s investigation for an extended period.
Regardless of the evidence already known about the lead-up to the insurrectionists’ attack on the Capitol, including all the public statements made by participants at trump’s pep-talk to his devoted legion the morning of January 6th, there's a real question if there's the political will to take steps necessary to get the twice impeached, former cheeto-in-chief trump, and insurrectionist-supporting Republicans on record and under oath. (The corporate controlled Senate Democrats’ foot-dragging in passing the current bill to protect voters’ rights is a strong indication of this lack of political will by the “moderate” Democrats.)
Pelosi’s House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the Capitol by trump inspired insurrectionists has already exposed the true horror experienced by the Capitol Police who defended our nation.
Also, Americans are well aware of the speeches and the tweets that promoted the “big lie” that the election was stolen, incited violence, called for insurrection and encouraged trump’s supporters to stop the electoral college certification by any means necessary. Some examples follow:
The twice impeached, former cheeto-in-chief trump: "We fight like hell. And if you don't fight like hell, you're not going to have a country anymore" “And after this, we're going to walk down, and I'll be there with you” [1]
Rep. Mo Brooks: “Today is the day American patriots start taking down names and kicking ass.” “Are you willing to do what it takes to fight for America? Louder! Will you fight for America?”[2]
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene: This is Republican's "1776 moment"[3]
Rep. Paul Gosar: President Biden is an “illegitimate usurper” - Mr. Trump was “the victim of an attempted coup”
Rep. Andy Biggs: "When it comes to January 6, I am going to be right down there in the well of the House with my friend from Alabama, Mo Brooks, and dozens of others”[4]
Rep. Madison Cawthorn: “Call your congressman and feel free — you can lightly threaten them.” “Say: ‘If you don’t support election integrity, I’m coming after you.”
We know Ali Alexander, credited with founding the Stop the Steal campaign, bragged about coordinating with Reps. Brooks, Gosar, and Biggs multiple times on live streams in December, including specifically that “we’re the four guys who came up with a January 6 event.”[5] We know Rep. Brooks knew there was enough of a threat of violence that he wore body armor to the Stop the Steal rally.[6]
So, members of the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Insurrection, you are in an uphill battle with nearly every House Republican planning to block your progress. All Senate Republicans will stand in your way. And the corporate controlled “moderate” Senate Democrats’ willing failures to end the filibuster and pass the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act will make everything accomplished by the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Insurrection... irrelevant.
[1]
Transcript Of Trump's Speech At Rally Before Capitol Riot : NPR
[2]
Trump is on trial for inciting an insurrection. What about the 12 people who spoke before him? - POLITICO
[3]
How Republicans Fanned the Flames Before US Capitol Building Riot - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
[4]
Biggs points finger at antifa as new videos show his ties to 'Stop the Steal' (azcentral.com)
[5]
Freedom Caucus Chair Andy Biggs Helped Plan January 6 Event, Lead Organizer Says (theintercept.com)
[6]
GOP Lawmaker Mo Brooks Says He Wore Body Armor to Jan. 6 Trump Rally (businessinsider.com)
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www.americanprogress.org
Life's a bitch. Maybe the Orange Virus should have bought a fucking helmet.
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