Liz Cheney opens the door for a criminal referral against Trump for his inaction on Jan 6
The House of Representatives on Tuesday voted to hold ex-president Donald Trump’s former chief of staff Mark Meadows in contempt of Congress and refer him to the US Department of Justice for prosecution after his refusal to testify to the select committee investigating the Capitol riot.
On Monday, members of the committee a revealed texts between Mr Meadows and Donald Trump Jr and Fox News personalities, among others, revealing that they urged him to get Mr Trump to stop the riots in real-time. US Rep Liz Cheney revealed new texts on Tuesday, and US Senator Lindsey Graham said that he spoke with Ivanka Trump to deliver a message to her father urging him to “tell his people to leave.”
Mr Meadows has accused congressional Democrats of trying to “weaponise” the information he previously provided the committee as he faces explosive accusations of treasonous behaviour.
US congressman calls Meadows a ‘great American’ amid contempt ruling
US congressman Jim Jordan publicly expressed his support for Mark Meadows after the former White House chief of staff was found to be in contempt of Congress.
The Republican wrote on Twitter: “Mark Meadows is a great American.”
Thomas Kingsley15 December 2021 09:12
Could Mark Meadows face prison time?
After the House select committee investigating the Capitol attack voted to recommend criminal prosecution and the former Trump White House chief of staff was in contempt of congress, the question of whether he could face prison time has arisen.
A successful contempt prosecution could result in up to a year in federal prison, $100,000 in fines, or both – although the misdemeanor charge may not ultimately lead to his cooperation, and pursuing the offense could still take years.
So Mark Meadows could face prison time for his refusal to take part in the investigation.
Thomas Kingsley15 December 2021 08:20
Hannity and Ingraham respond to revelations about their text messages to Trump aide during Capitol riot
Fox News anchors Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham dismissed the release of their messages to former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows during the 6 January Capitol Hill riot, calling it a “smear campaign” against them.
On Monday, the House Select Committee investigating the insurrection released a report detailing Mr Meadows’ communications with people including former president Donald Trump’s son, Fox News personalities and lawmakers, urging him to get the then-President to stop the riots in real-time.
Our reporter, Sravasti Dasgupta, has the full story below:
Thomas Kingsley15 December 2021 07:41
Pelosi tweets photo of enrollment of Meadows contempt resolution
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi referred to 6 January as a “dark day” as she shared a photo of the contempt resolution against former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows on Twitter.
Ms Pelosi wrote: “Tonight, the House voted on a bipartisan basis to hold Mark Meadows, who has key information on the #January6th attack, in contempt of Congress. In doing so, we fulfil our duty to the Constitution and the nation to find the truth of that dark day.”
After the vote to approve the 6 January committee’s report that recommended that Mr Meadows be held in criminal contempt of Congress, it is now up to the Department of Justice to decide if they will pursue criminal charges.
The House select committee had also revealed text messages sent by then-president Donald Trump’s family members, several lawmakers and Fox News hosts to Mr Meadows.
Maroosha Muzaffar15 December 2021 07:22
ICYMI: Jen Psaki hits out at Fox News for Capitol riot hypocrisy revealed in Meadows texts
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the revelations of pleading text messages to Donald Trump’s chief of staff from prominent Fox News personalities and Republican lawmakers during the assault on the US Capitol on 6 January are “disappointing” but “not surprising”.
“It’s disappointing and unfortunately not surprising that some of the very same individuals who were willing to warn, condemn and express horror over what happened … in private were totally silent in public, or worse, spreading lies and conspiracy theories,” she told reporters at the White House on 14 December.
Alex Woodward15 December 2021 06:00
DC files civil suit seeking damages from Proud Boys, Oath Keepers for January 6 destruction
DC Attorney General Karl Racine announced on Tuesday that he would seek to force the former president’s supporters to pay for the damage they wrought on the nation’s capital.
The attorney general filed a civil suit against dozens of members of the Proud Boys, Oath Keepers and the organisations themselves as the effort to punish those responsible for the shocking violence and destruction ramps up.
Alex Woodward15 December 2021 05:00
House votes to hold Mark Meadows in contempt of Congress and refers him for prosecution
The House of Representatives on Tuesday voted 222-208 to approve a resolution finding ex-White House chief of staff Mark Meadows in contempt of Congress for refusing to appear and give evidence before the select committee investigating the January 6 insurrection.
Eric Garcia and Andrew Feinberg have more:
Alex Woodward15 December 2021 04:12
Capitol rioter who texted about putting a bullet in Pelosi’s head is jailed
A North Carolina man who went to Washington DC on 6 January with guns and ammunition and texted about “putting a bullet” in the Nancy Pelosi’s “noggin” was sentenced to serve 28 months in prison on Tuesday.
Alex Woodward15 December 2021 03:00
Hannity calls committee’s release of his texts to Meadows a ‘smear’ attempt
A day after the House committee investigating the Capitol riot released text messages to Mark Meadows during the attack, including from several Fox News hosts, Sean Hannity calls their release a “weak attempt to smear.”
“I said to Mark Meadows the exact same thing I was saying live on the radio at the time and on TV that night,” he said.
But on his radio broadcast that day, Hannity said: “It’s on video, it’s all antifa,”
“I don’t know who the people are that got in there. I’ve seen videos like you have, but that doesn’t represent how we the people feel, or why we feel like we do, the honest peaceful protester,” he said.
He said there were “reports that groups like antifa, other radical groups – I don’t know the names of all of them – that they were there to cause trouble.”
He texted Meadows: “Can he make a statement? Ask people to leave the Capitol?”
Laura Ingraham texted him: “The president needs to tell people in the Capitol to go home. This is hurting all of us. He is destroying his legacy.”
Alex Woodward15 December 2021 02:33
House begins debate over Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, with Meadows contempt vote to follow
The House is now debating bicameral legislation on the Uyghur Forced LaborPrevention Act, which would ban the importation of goods made with forced labor in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in China.
A House version of the bill passed last week.
In a statement on Tuesday night, press secretary Jen Psaki said “the president welcomes the agreement by Congress on the bipartisan Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act.”
“We agree with Congress that action can and must be taken to hold the People’s Republic of China accountable for genocide and human rights abuses and to address forced labor in Xinjiang,” she said. “The Administration will work closely with Congress to implement this bill to ensure global supply chains are free of forced labor, while simultaneously working to on-shore and third-shore key supply chains, including semiconductors and clean energy.”
A vote on the contempt resolution for former Trump aide Mark Meadows is expected after debate ends.
Alex Woodward15 December 2021 01:59