House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack

House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack
Name	House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack
Formation	2021
Disbanded	2022
Jurisdiction	United States Congress
Chair	Bennie Thompson
Vice chair	Liz Cheney
Members	Bennie Thompson; Liz Cheney; Zoe Lofgren; Adam Kinzinger; Jamie Raskin; Rodney Davis; Stephanie Murphy; Elaine Luria; Adam Schiff; Pete Aguilar; Stephanie Murphy

House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack The House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack was a congressional panel formed in 2021 to investigate the events surrounding the January 6, 2021 attack on the United States Capitol and related efforts to affect the certification of the 2020 United States presidential election. The committee conducted public hearings, subpoenaed witnesses, and issued a final report that addressed actions by former President Donald Trump, members of the Trump campaign, and allied political actors including figures from the Republican Party, United States Secret Service, and Federal Bureau of Investigation. Its work intersected with investigations by the Justice Department (United States), the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and several state-level prosecutors.

Background and formation

The committee was created after the breach of the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, during the joint session of United States Congress to certify the 2020 United States presidential election results for Joe Biden. In the weeks following the attack, leaders in the House of Representatives including Nancy Pelosi announced plans for an independent investigation distinct from the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Debates over scope and membership invoked figures such as Kevin McCarthy, Mitch McConnell, and legal authorities including the Department of Justice (United States). The House passed a resolution establishing the select committee amid disputes involving Republican Party objections and contested subpoenas.

Membership and leadership

The committee was chaired by Representative Bennie Thompson with Representative Liz Cheney serving as vice chair. Membership included representatives from both major parties, drawing from members such as Zoe Lofgren, Adam Kinzinger, Jamie Raskin, Rodney Davis, Elaine Luria, Stephanie Murphy, Adam Schiff, Pete Aguilar, and others. The selection process reflected tensions between House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi regarding appointments of Republican members like Jim Jordan and Scott Perry. Several appointees had prior experience on panels including the House Judiciary Committee, House Intelligence Committee, and the House Oversight Committee.

Investigation and evidence gathering

The committee issued subpoenas to numerous individuals and entities, seeking testimony and documents from figures such as Donald Trump, Mark Meadows, Rudy Giuliani, Roger Stone, Steve Bannon, Peter Navarro, and officials from the Trump administration. It obtained communications, social media content, and call logs involving platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Parler and coordinated with federal agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the National Archives and Records Administration. Investigators interviewed witnesses including members of law enforcement from the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia, United States Capitol Police, and National Guard personnel, as well as organizers from groups such as the Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, and Stop the Steal. The committee's staff consulted legal authorities on matters involving the Presidential Records Act, Insurrection Act of 1807, and potential violations of federal statutes including obstruction and conspiracy statutes prosecuted by the United States Department of Justice.

Hearings and public proceedings

Beginning in June 2021 and culminating in a prime-time series in 2022, the committee held public hearings that featured testimony from law enforcement officers, political aides, and witnesses like Cassidy Hutchinson, Michael Steele-related commentators, and others who recounted events leading up to January 6. The televised hearings presented evidence including video footage from the United States Capitol, communications from the White House, and social media posts by figures such as Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump. Legal conflicts over executive privilege involved White House Counsel and resulted in referrals to the Justice Department (United States) for enforcement actions. The committee voted to subpoena Donald Trump and later referred him for potential criminal charges to the Department of Justice (United States).

Findings, recommendations, and reports

In its final report, the committee concluded that attempts to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election involved coordination among political operatives, campaign officials, and certain media figures, implicating actors such as Rudy Giuliani, John Eastman, and others. The report summarized evidence of false electors schemes, pressure on state officials in states including Georgia (U.S. state), Arizona, and Michigan, and coordination with extremist groups including the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers. Recommendations included legislative proposals to strengthen the Electoral Count Act of 1887, reforms to the Presidential Records Act, improvements to security for the United States Capitol Police, and calls for the Department of Justice (United States) to pursue criminal charges where warranted. The report was accompanied by a referral list for potential prosecutions and administrative actions.

Legal and political aftermath

The committee's actions led to criminal referrals and the referral of evidence to the Department of Justice (United States) and to state prosecutors in jurisdictions such as Fulton County, Georgia and Maricopa County, Arizona. Several subjects complied with subpoenas while others invoked claims related to executive privilege and the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution. The committee faced litigation in venues including the United States District Court for the District of Columbia and appeals in the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Politically, the committee's work intensified divisions within the Republican Party and shaped public discourse involving media outlets like Fox News, CNN, and The New York Times, and influenced debates during the 2022 United States elections and subsequent congressional actions. The committee disbanded after issuing its final report, leaving ongoing prosecutions by the Justice Department (United States) and state authorities.

Category:United States congressional committees Category:2021 in American politics Category:2022 in American politics