Christopher Miller, who was the acting Defense Secretary at the time of the storming of the Capitol last January, has now testified to the House committee investigating the Capitol riot, according to a new report from NBC — although the outlet noted that it “was not immediately clear what Miller discussed with the panel.” Miller has previously stated that he believed ex-President Trump to have “encouraged the protesters” with remarks that he made on January 6, although he’s also insisted that he believes an “organized conspiracy” (separate from Trump) to have helped spark the Capitol violence. The Justice Department has now backed up the conspiracy part — last week, Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes was criminally charged (alongside ten others) for seditious conspiracy.
Miller has previously faced tense — and public — questioning from members of Congress in relation to the events of January 6. Miller has stated that it was about 3 p.m. on January 6 when he “approved the activation and mobilization of the full D.C. National Guard to assist the Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department” — although ABC notes that Miller “admitted that he did not approve an operational plan to deploy the National Guard to the Capitol until 4:32 p.m., more than three hours after he first learned that demonstrators had breached the Capitol perimeter.” It was about another hour before members of the National Guard actually got to the Capitol. During that time, even more serious circumstances could have sprung up. It’s clear that members of the crowd intended on inflicting violence against certain political leaders if they’d been able to access them.
Liz Cheney on Kevin McCarthy refusing to voluntarily testify before Jan 6 committee:
“I wish that he were a brave and honorable man"
— John Harwood (@JohnJHarwood) January 13, 2022
Overall, the riot investigation committee in the House has spoken with over 340 witnesses, indicating that efforts by former President Trump and certain allies of his to stall the investigation aren’t working to the extent that the ex-commander-in-chief might hope. One hurdle that the committee has faced, however, is the unwillingness of certain Republican members of Congress to provide information. Investigators sought to speak with Reps. Scott Perry (R-Pa.), Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), and Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) — and all three have now insisted that they don’t intend to comply, although subpoenas remain an option. The committee is also continuing its pursuit of certain records from Trump’s administration.
NBC News: Former Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller has met with the Jan. 6 Committee.
Miller was acting Def Sec on Jan. 6 and has previously said Trump "encouraged the protestors." @NBCNews
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) January 15, 2022
