Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee and a member of the House committee investigating the Capitol riot, suggested this week that a subpoena for Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) in connection to the January 6 investigation could be on the way. So far, subpoenas have gone out to former top Trump aides and organizers of (or people otherwise connected to) rallies that immediately preceded the Capitol violence, but members of Congress have yet to be directly targeted by the riot investigation committee. The panel has, however, sought the preservation of communication records for certain members of Congress.
McCarthy is known to have spoken to Trump on the day of the riot, meaning that he could provide insight as to what the then-president was actually doing at the White House as the deadly chaos unfolded. CNN’s Jim Sciutto said this week that Schiff had told him as follows:
‘Kevin McCarthy was, you know, I have to say — [he] certainly appeared to be a pretty pertinent witness to me.’
—>> @RepAdamSchiff hints at possible subpoena for @GOPLeader McCarthy: “KEVIN McCARTHY WAS, YOU KNOW, I HAVE TO SAY, CERTAINLY APPEARED TO BE A PRETTY PERTINENT WITNESS TO ME,” Schiff told me just now.
— Jim Sciutto (@jimsciutto) September 30, 2021
Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), another member of the riot investigation committee, has already spoken to the critical nature of uncovering what was going on at the White House in connection to the riot. As she put it at a hearing back in July, investigators “must also know what happened every minute of that day in the White House — every phone call, every conversation, every meeting — leading up to, during, and after the attack.” Predictably, Trump has already lashed out against attempts by the riot investigation committee to obtain relevant records relating to his presidential administration, but the committee has been continuing its work anyway.
Its most recent subpoenas went out to 11 individuals involved with rally events that preceded the Capitol chaos. Notable names on the list of those subpoenaed include Katrina Pierson, a former Trump campaign spokesperson who “reportedly served as an informal liaison between the White House and the rally on the Ellipse,” as summarized by The Washington Post. Amy Kremer, who founded Women for America First, which was behind the main rally before the violence, was also among those subpoenaed by the committee. Read more at this link.
