Two Home Jan. 6 committee members mentioned Sunday that the panel has not but decided subsequent steps if former President Donald Trump refuses to adjust to its subpoena that was issued throughout its newest public listening to.
The committee’s ninth listening to Thursday, its final listening to earlier than the midterm elections, concluded with the panel voting unanimously to subpoena Trump.
In an interview on NBC Information’ “Meet the Press,” Rep. Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla., was requested whether or not the committee would push for the Home to ship a legal referral to the Justice Division if the previous president refuses to adjust to its subpoena.
“I gained’t interact in any hypotheticals at this second, because the subpoena hasn’t but even been served. However I’ll say is that with earlier subpoenas, what you’ve seen the committee do is be very deliberate, and take the response to our subpoenas on a case-by-case foundation,” Murphy mentioned. “And I think about that we are going to additionally do this, as a result of we perceive the seriousness of the cost of our committee.”
A supply aware of the committee’s plans informed NBC Information Thursday that the panel plans to difficulty the subpoena, which expires on the finish of the present congressional time period, within the coming days.
Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Sick., issued comparable remarks throughout an interview on ABC Information’ “This Week” Sunday when pressed on whether or not the DOJ ought to maintain Trump in legal contempt if he refuses to adjust to the subpoena.
“Look, that’s a bridge we cross if now we have to get there,” Kinzinger mentioned. “You understand, look, we properly acknowledge the truth that due to the committee solely having the ability to exist til the top of this congressional yr, as a result of that was the mandate, we’re at a little bit of a time restrict right here.”
Kinzinger mentioned that because the committee wraps up its investigation, it’s additionally pursuing “new leads and details” and it hopes to talk with Trump. He additionally mentioned that he thinks there will probably be “a negotiation” with the previous president for his stay testimony.
“If he pushes off past that, we’ll work out what to do subsequent,” Kinzinger mentioned. “Granted that, you understand, this isn’t an unprecedented transfer by Congress, but it surely’s additionally, we acknowledge, this can be a massive deal. This can be a massive transfer.”
He added, “I’ll solely deal with that once we know for certain whether or not or not the president has tried to push to come back in and discuss to us stay.”
Trump responded to the committee’s subpoena Friday in a 14-page letter during which he vented his “anger, disappointment and grievance” on the panel for not investigating his baseless claims of fraud within the 2020 election. Though the previous president didn’t point out whether or not he would adjust to the panel’s subpoena to testify, he’s anticipated to problem it.
Requested after the listening to final week whether or not the committee is ready to struggle over a subpoena in courtroom, chairman Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., mentioned, “Let’s see what occurs,” including of Trump, “We hope that he honors it.”
“This can be a query about accountability to the American individuals. He have to be accountable. He’s required to reply for his actions. He’s required to reply to these law enforcement officials who put their lives and our bodies on the road to defend our democracy. He’s required to reply to these thousands and thousands of People whose votes he needed to throw out as a part of his scheme to stay in energy,” Thompson mentioned, acknowledging the transfer as a “critical and extraordinary motion.”
