The hyper-partisan nature of politics today is veering down a dangerous level, one which might result in jail time for America First lawmakers.
In Nancy Pelosi’s ideal world, her Republican colleagues would be more like Liz Cheney, not Kevin McCarthy, or any other America First lawmaker. If that means recommending jail time for not complying with her witch hunt demands then so be it!
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi did not deny the possibility of criminal charges against her Republican colleagues, saying the committee investigating the Jan. 6 riot would take it “one step at a time” if Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) does not comply with a subpoena.
The speaker said she was “proud” of the committee, which last week subpoenaed McCarthy and several other House Republicans deemed connected to the events preceding the riot, and would not commit not to take the extraordinary step of holding those who refuse to comply in contempt.
“People say to me, ‘Well, this is unprecedented,’” Pelosi told Stephanopoulos regarding the creation of the Jan. 6 committee.
“Well, it’s unprecedented for the president of the United States to incite an insurrection on the Capitol, on the Congress, on the Constitution, in that manner. And we must seek the truth. And I’m proud of the work of the committee.”
.@GStephanopoulos: “If Leader McCarthy and the other Republicans continue to hold out, will the House vote to hold them in contempt?”
Speaker Nancy Pelosi: “The committee will take this one step at a time. But I'm very proud of the committee." https://t.co/dtKiW5vJrm pic.twitter.com/d1cNSPzdyT
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) May 15, 2022
Last week McCarthy said he “didn’t see” the subpoena and remained steadfast in his view that “[the committee] is not conducting a legitimate investigation. It seems as though they just want to after their political opponents.”
When asked on Friday whether he had plans to comply with the subpoena, he wished everyone a “nice weekend.”
Reps. Andy Biggs of Arizona, Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, Jim Jordan of Ohio, and Mo Brooks of Alabama, all Republicans, also received subpoenas earlier that day to appear before the committee. McCarthy’s attorney also received a subpoena from the committee.
“We write to request your voluntary cooperation with our investigation on a range of critical topics, including your conversations with President Trump before, during and after the violent January 6th attack,” Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-MS) wrote to McCarthy in his letter.
“You have acknowledged speaking directly with the former President while the violence was underway on January 6th. And you summarized your conclusions regarding President Trump’s conduct on January 6th in a speech you made January 13th on the House floor.”
Thompson encouraged his Republican colleagues to “comply with the law, do their patriotic duty, and cooperate with our investigation as hundreds of other witnesses have done,” according to his statement.
The committee is scheduled to hold public hearings in June.
Author: Vasily Ivanov
