During an appearance on CBS’s Face The Nation over the weekend, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) — who is chairing the House committee investigating the Capitol riot — pointed to the troubling appearance of premeditation behind the attack on the Capitol by Trump supporters, and he pledged that the committee would uncover the relevant facts. Top Trump ally Steve Bannon, who has been subpoenaed by the riot investigation committee but refused to show up, said on a podcast episode on the day before the riot that “all hell” would “break loose” the following day, when Congress was set to meet and certify the presidential election results. Bannon was in contact with Trump around that time. What did the two of them know?
Thompson commented as follows:
‘Clearly, the direction of the committee is to look at that premeditation to make sure that we identify it. But the worst kept secret in America is that Donald Trump invited individuals to come to Washington on January 6. [Bannon] said all hell would break loose, Steve Bannon was part of the conversation and the promotion of January 6… That’s why we subpoenaed him. That’s why we felt it was important for the committee and staff to depose him.’
Watch those comments below:
How premediated was the insurrection?@BennieGThompson tells @margbrennan "There's no question…The worst kept secret in America is Donald Trump invited individuals to come to Washington on Jan. 6, he said all hell would break loose, Steve Bannon was part of the promotion…" pic.twitter.com/tOXhM5utwq
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) October 24, 2021
Asked about the potential of subpoenaing Trump — and about whether the committee had seen a “direct line” to the former president — Thompson added as follows:
‘Nobody is off limits. We will be, on an ongoing basis, issuing subpoenas to various individuals around the country… If the evidence leads to former President Trump or anyone else, the committee is not resonant in pushing back on it. We will go forward with it.’
Check out Thompson’s comments below:
When will the Jan. 6 committee subpoena former Pres. Trump? Is there a direct connection?@BennieGThompson tells @margbrennan: "Nobody is off limits." WATCH –> pic.twitter.com/onl6tXP7cq
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) October 24, 2021
The House has voted to hold Bannon in contempt of Congress for his refusal to comply with the riot investigation committee’s subpoena, leaving the matter subsequently set for referral to the Justice Department, which would be tasked with deciding whether or not to pursue criminal prosecution. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said on CNN’s State of the Union over the weekend that she is in favor of prosecuting Bannon for his subpoena defiance. As she put it, it’s “important for us to find the truth about what happened on January 6 — an assault on our Constitution, our Congress, and our Capitol.”
Nancy Pelosi says she thinks Steve Bannon should be prosecuted for ignoring Congress's subpoena pic.twitter.com/gzeZ0BbSke
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 24, 2021
