Kimberly Guilfoyle, the former Fox News personality who has since become the fiancée of Donald Trump Jr., appeared before the House committee investigating the Capitol riot on Friday, suggesting that there’s not as much resolve within the former president’s circles to resist the panel’s investigation as Trump himself may have hoped for. Guilfoyle, POLITICO notes, “reportedly played a role in organizing and fundraising for the Jan. 6 rally on the National Mall that preceded the attack on the Capitol.” It’s at that rally that then-President Trump infamously called on his supporters to “fight” in response to imaginary systematic election fraud, saying in the course of those remarks that he’d be heading to the Capitol with them — although he did not end up doing such a thing.
In his ruling, Judge Mehta says the evidence suggests Trump instructed the Jan. 6 crowd to march on the Capitol, despite knowing it likely included violent elements.
He rejected Trump's claim that he's immune from lawsuits.
He rejected Trump's claim his conduct was protected.
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) February 19, 2022
According to reporter Robert Costa, a “tense confrontation between the House select committee and Kimberly Guilfoyle unfolded privately on Friday morning, with Guilfoyle and her lawyers abruptly ending her conversation with the committee over concerns about its ground rules” — so it didn’t turn out as constructively as investigators hoped. The concern was over the presence of certain Representatives including Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) on the call, as opposed to just attorneys/ staff members for the committee (the testimony was taking place virtually). Certain individuals have relied upon invoking Fifth Amendment protections against self-incrimination in dealings with the committee, although investigators have nonetheless been able to obtain a large amount of information. Guilfoyle spoke at the latest installment of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) this week, where she promoted false claims of election fraud.
news: A tense confrontation between the House select committee and Kimberly Guilfoyle unfolded privately on Friday morning, with Guilfoyle and her lawyers abruptly ending her conversation with the committee over concerns about its ground rules, according to 4 people familiar..
— Robert Costa (@costareports) February 25, 2022
Previously, the riot panel subpoenaed two individuals who the committee said “were strategists who both served as advisors to Donald Trump, Jr. and were communicating with individuals including Donald Trump, Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle regarding the January 6th Ellipse rally.” Those two individuals are Andy Surabian and Arthur Schwartz, who were subpoenaed around the same time as Ross Worthington, who served in the Trump administration and assisted with the preparation of the remarks that the then-president delivered at that pre-riot rally in D.C.
NEW: Two sources tell me and @nicholaswu12 that Kimberly GUILFOYLE testified to the Jan. 6 select committee this morning.
Confirming @haleytalbotnbchttps://t.co/KemFsXYV5e
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) February 25, 2022
So far, the committee has heard from over 550 people and counting, and investigators have been reported to be in negotiations with Rudy Giuliani and Ivanka Trump about potentially providing information, although in Giuliani’s case, the information in question is that which doesn’t involve Trump — Rudy is apparently resisting providing Trump-related details on the basis of claims of attorney-client privilege. Although the rally in which Guilfoyle was involved did not include explicit plans for violence, it directly connected to the violence that soon followed its start. Federal Judge Amit Mehta recently ruled that civil litigation against Trump over his role in inciting the riot could proceed, finding that the argument could be made — whether or not it’s proven — that Trump entered into a conspiracy of sorts with violent, far-right groups. Mehta said that it was “reasonable to infer that the [then-]President knew that these were militia groups and that they were prepared to partake in violence for him… The [then-]President thus plausibly would have known that a call for violence would be carried out by militia groups and other supporters.”
Breaking:
WASHINGTON (AP) — Judge rejects Trump attempt to toss conspiracy lawsuits, finds 'plausible' case former president incited Capitol riot.
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) February 18, 2022
Featured Image (edited): via Gage Skidmore on Wikimedia Commons, available under a Creative Commons license
