Well, it’s happened — the House committee investigating the Capitol riot has gone after a Trump. Specifically, the panel has asked for testimony from Ivanka Trump, who — besides being a daughter of former President Trump — served as a presidential adviser throughout Donald’s time in office. As explained by committee chairperson Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), investigators are hoping to ask Ivanka about issues related to the lead-up to January 6 and the day itself. Thompson observed to Ivanka that “[testimony] obtained by the Committee indicates that members of the White House staff requested your assistance on multiple occasions to intervene in an attempt to persuade President Trump to address the ongoing lawlessness and violence on Capitol Hill” on January 6 of last year.
BREAKING: The Jan. 6 Committee is requesting Ivanka Trump give voluntary testimony to the panel. https://t.co/zrbaaf3JLy
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) January 20, 2022
As for the lead-up to January 6, Thompson added to Ivanka that “[as] January 6th approached, President Trump attempted on multiple occasions to persuade Vice President Pence to participate in his plan. One of the President’s discussions with the Vice President occurred by phone on the morning of January 6th. You were present in the Oval Office and observed at least one side of that telephone conversation.” Trump wanted Pence to block the certification in Congress of Biden’s win, although in his role overseeing the certification proceedings, Pence didn’t possess that power. Thompson also referenced questions about the then-commander-in-chief’s involvement — or lack thereof — in the deployment of federal personnel to the Capitol grounds to address the violence.
BREAKING / NBC News: Former president Donald Trump, Donald Trump Jr., and Ivanka Trump are all alleged to have been involved in either overseeing or arranging financial misstatements to financial and insurance institutions, says the New York AG in a court filing docketed tonight.
— Tom Winter (@Tom_Winter) January 19, 2022
It’s unclear whether Ivanka might have any inclination towards cooperating with the panel, which didn’t issue a subpoena for her — yet. The ex-president, of course, has consistently ranted against the investigation, and Republican allies of his in Congress such as House GOP leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) have carried on with that line of argument. UPDATE: Ivanka issued a statement that remained unclear on whether she’d actually testify but dismissively noted that she didn’t speak at the outdoor rally in D.C. that preceded the riot.
Pressed whether the statement means Ivanka Trump will not comply with the invitation to talk to the Jan. 6 committee, her spokesperson did not respond.
via @KateBennett_DC pic.twitter.com/teqZFU1xdc— Zachary Cohen (@ZcohenCNN) January 20, 2022
On January 6, 2021, Donald eventually spoke out regarding the violence — and, in a video message, he told the rioters things like “we love you; you’re very special.” To be clear, the people under discussion were amid an hours-long, savage assault on scores of D.C.-area police officers and had been attempting to access top government leaders, upon whom some members of the mob hoped to inflict physical violence. Gallows were constructed outside of the Capitol building, and members of the crowd chanted “Hang Mike Pence!”, targeting the then-VP over his perceived lack of sufficient loyalty to Trump. Even if Donald initially missed some of those details, he clearly got the general idea — the panel has also obtained testimony indicating that he was watching television coverage of the riot as it unfolded. Ex-Trump official Stephanie Grisham said that Trump eagerly took it in.
Guardian US: Jan. 6 committee interview with Grisham was more significant than expected, sources said, giving them new details about the Trump White House and what Trump was doing before the Capitol attack.
— Hugo Lowell (@hugolowell) January 20, 2022
