The January 6th House Select Committee has officially issued a formal subpoena for testimony and documents against scandal-ridden, one-term, twice-impeached former President Donald Trump as part of their ongoing investigation into the infamous, violent Capitol attack, as well as the ex-president’s personal role in his actions and rhetoric that served to incite the fatal violence, according to multiple breaking reports.
The formal subpoena comes after the January 6th Committee delivered a unanimous vote to summons the former president for his testimony and document evidence last week, on the heels of their blockbuster public hearing that specifically highlighted Trump’s very personal role in spurring his supporters to violence in an effort to enact a coup and overthrow a democratic United States presidential election.
Donald Trump responded to that unanimous vote in a hefty, 14-page written letter, in which he expressed his “anger, disappointment, and complaint” at the Panel for investigating him and the riot, yet not launching an investigation into his repeatedly debunked claims of fraud in the 2020 election. The majority of the rest of Trump’s letter was spent bragging about his crowd size. The letter did not specifically signify whether or not he plans to legally challenge the subpoena.
In a letter to be sent to Trump, accompanying the subpoena, which calls for the ex-president’s appearance before the Committee on November 14th, after midterm elections are over, the January 6th Committee wrote, “As demonstrated in our hearings, we have assembled overwhelming evidence, including from dozens of your former appointees and staff, that you personally orchestrated and oversaw a multi-part effort to overturn the 2020 presidential election and to obstruct the peaceful transition of power.”
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House Select Committee Vice Chair Rep. Liz Cheney described Donald Trump as a “central player” to the January 6th violence and the election coup plot during their recent bombshell public hearing, while Chairman Rep. Bennie Thompson said the House Panel has an “obligation” to seek out answers directly from the former president.
“He must be accountable,” Thompson said. “He is required to answer for his actions. He’s required to answer to those police officers who put their lives and bodies on the line to defend our democracy. He’s required to answer to those millions of Americans whose votes he wanted to throw out as part of his scheme to remain in power.”
Should Trump move forward with a legal challenge against the subpoena, it could allow the former president to essentially run out the clock on the summons, which will expire in January at the end of the current congressional term.
When asked whether or not the J6 Committee is prepared to engage in a legal battle with Donald Trump over the subpoena, Thompson said, “Let’s see what happens,” adding, “We hope that he honors it.”
Trump has indicated in recent weeks that he wants to appear before the House Panel and testify on the matter of January 6th, but only on the condition that the Committee broadcasts his testimony live.
Featured image via DoD photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Marianique Santos
