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U.S. House Jan. 6 committee demands Trump White House records

Published 08/25/2021, 11:54 AM
Updated 08/26/2021, 12:50 PM
© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: A worker removes razor wire from the top of security fencing as part of a reduction in heightened security measures taken after the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., March 20, 2021.  REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: A worker removes razor wire from the top of security fencing as part of a reduction in heightened security measures taken after the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., March 20, 2021. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

By Patricia Zengerle

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A congressional committee investigating the deadly Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol issued its first demands for documents from government agencies on Wednesday, including communications involving some of former President Donald Trump's closest advisers and family.

The House of Representatives Select Committee asked for White House communications records on and leading up to Jan. 6, The panel also made extensive requests for material from the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Interior and Justice, and the FBI, National Counterterrorism Center and Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

The committee's Democratic chairman, Representative Bennie Thompson, gave the agencies two weeks - until Sept. 9 - to produce the materials. It expects to make additional requests as the investigation moves forward.

"Our Constitution provides for a peaceful transfer of power, and this investigation seeks to evaluate threats to that process, identify lessons learned and recommend laws, policies, procedures, rules, or regulations necessary to protect our republic in the future," Thompson wrote in a letter to the National Archives and Records Administration, which holds records from the Trump administration, and the seven other government entities.

Trump, in a statement late on Wednesday, called the committee's request "a partisan sham and waste of taxpayer dollars."

Mobs of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol as Congress was meeting to certify Democrat Joe Biden's presidential election victory, and delayed that process for several hours as then-Vice President Mike Pence, members of Congress, staff and journalists fled from rioters.

Nearly 600 people have been arrested in connection with the Capitol attack.

The panel said it wanted information on the attack itself and the run-up to the events of the day, including the gathering and dissemination of intelligence, security preparations and the role agencies played in defending the Capitol.

It asked for documents related to planning for and concerns about violence surrounding the rally on Jan. 6 where Trump made a falsehood-laden speech before his followers headed for the Capitol.

The Select Committee also requested information about personnel changes between the Nov. 3, 2020, election and Jan. 20, 2021, when Biden took office, and asked for documents and communications about possible attempts by Trump to remain in office despite losing the election.

TRUMP AIDES AND FAMILY

Among the requests were documents and communications about Trump's allegations of election fraud, involving Trump's former chief of staff, Mark Meadows, and the members of his legal team including Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell and Kurt Olsen.

The letters also ask for documents and communications related to members of his family, some of whom had official roles at the White House. Those included first lady Melania Trump, his sons Donald Jr. and Eric, daughter Ivanka, daughter-in-law Lara and Ivanka Trump's husband, Jared Kushner.

House Democrats formed the committee, despite objections from Trump's fellow Republicans in the House, to investigate the assault on the Capitol. It was the worst violence at the seat of the U.S. government since the British invasion during the War of 1812.

Representative Liz Cheney, one of the two Republican select committee members, was stripped of her leadership role in her caucus after denouncing Trump's allegations that Biden's election victory was not legitimate.

Four people died on the day of the violence, one shot to death by police and the other three of natural causes. A Capitol Police officer who had been attacked by protesters died the following day. Four police officers who took part in the defense of the Capitol later took their own lives. More than 100 police officers were injured.

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Pro-Trump protesters storm into the U.S. Capitol during clashes with police, during a rally to contest the certification of the 2020 U.S. presidential election results by the U.S. Congress, in Washington, U.S, January 6, 2021. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton/File Photo - RC2L8P92IGIH

The document requests came a month after the committee held its first hearing https://www.reuters.com/world/us/police-who-defended-us-capitol-testify-riot-probes-first-hearing-2021-07-27, at which four police officers who had helped repel the attack described being beaten, taunted with racial insults and fearing they might die as they struggled to protect the building.

The committee has not yet scheduled additional hearings.

Latest comments

trump is an expired asset...this discussion should end
I agree with 'expired' but he was a liability, not an asset.
Officer Michael Byrd shot and killed unarmed Ashley Babbitt. He is considered a hero by you know who
Those 25,000 troops would have been useful in Afganistan.
That was 4 or 5 days ago! Come on man!
Good always wins in the end. So, look out democrats, your days are numbered
I love your sense of humor...GOP has no good left in it.
Just give it up Reuters. 100 million Americans know this a complete sham. one person died at the Capitol on January 6th, an unarmed women by a Capitol police who is still unnamed. Why don't you do you job and find out who killed her.
The police, protecting our Capitol, shot and killed the traitor. I think this has been well reported on most sites.
The only person shot and killed was a US veteran named Ashley Babbitt by a capital security officer who still remains unchanged and unknown, the Coward. None of those who entered the capital were armed. The fbi just recently released their investigation findings. And concluded that the events on January 6th was not a planned event. IT WAS NOT AN INSURECTION! I can go on, but I have limited conclusive evidence
thought the FBI had already finished its investigation.... and found no fault. So, these partisan hacks with no investigation abilities want to continue down this road?I say we should investigate everyone of them and their role.
Can you post a link to the FBI report where they found no fault?
It is now the year 2086 and the ****great-grandson of Sniffer in Chief is still holding hearings on the ‘worst ********attack in world history’!!! Sarcasm of course.Replace every corrupt politcian in DC! Throw all of them out to get a real job.
A real job? That means they need to have common sense, work hard and have no hidden agenda. Isn't that a bit too much to ask for?
Jokes on us.
move on bonez
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