Thursday 11 November 2021

Jan. 6 committee is interested in at least five people from former Vice President Mike Pence’s inner circle – including his national security adviser Keith Kellogg

 The January 6 committee has said it is interested in at least five people from former Vice President Mike Pence's inner circle - including his national security adviser Keith Kellogg. 

Kellogg, who was reportedly in a meeting where then-President Donald Trump pushed Pence not to certify the election on January 6, was on Tuesday subpoenaed by the House select committee. 

Some of the five, who besides Kellogg have not been identified, are understood to be willing to provide information wanted by the committee either voluntarily or under subpoena, CNN reported, citing sources.   

Chairman Bennie Thompson said the committee had reached out to several persons of interest and received mixed responses. 'Yes and no,' he said. 'There have been some people who have clearly said no. We've had people on both sides.'

Sources told the US broadcaster among those approached were former chief counsel Greg Jacob and former chief of staff Marc Short, as well as former chief of staff Nick Ayers, former legislative affairs director Chris Hodgson, political adviser Marty Obst, and former special assistant Zach Bauer.

It comes after a US federal judge in DC ruled on Tuesday the committee could access some of Trump's White House records in a blow to the former President's efforts to keep the documents secret. The committee has said it needs the requested materials to understand the role Trump may have played in fomenting the riot.  

The January 6 committee has said it is interested in at least five people from former Vice President Mike Pence's inner circle - including his national security adviser Keith Kellogg

The January 6 committee has said it is interested in at least five people from former Vice President Mike Pence's inner circle - including his national security adviser Keith Kellogg

A mob of supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump fight with members of law enforcement at a door they broke open as they storm the U.S. Capitol Building on January 6

A mob of supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump fight with members of law enforcement at a door they broke open as they storm the U.S. Capitol Building on January 6

Former national security adviser Keith Kellogg, who was with the then-President Donald Trump as the Capitol riot unfolded, has been subpoenaed by the investigating committee

Former national security adviser Keith Kellogg, who was with the then-President Donald Trump as the Capitol riot unfolded, has been subpoenaed by the investigating committee

It comes after a US federal judge in DC ruled on Tuesday the committee could access some of former President Donald Trump's White House records.

Obama-appointed US District Judge Tanya Chutkan rejected an argument by Trump's lawyers that telephone records, visitor logs and other White House documents should be withheld from the House select committee.

'Presidents are not kings,' Chutkan wrote in her decision: 'And Plaintiff is not President.' She also ruled that President Biden and not former 'occupants of the office' are the determining factor in privilege claims.

Trump had argued that the materials requested by the House of Representatives panel were covered by a legal doctrine known as executive privilege that protects the confidentiality of some White House communications. 

He requested an injunction blocking the National Archives, a federal agency that holds his White House records, from complying with the committee's document requests. If he does not appeal or it fails, he will have to hand over the documents. 

Judge Tanya Chutkan rejected Trump's claim of executive privilege

Judge Tanya Chutkan rejected Trump's claim of executive privilege 

The committee has said it needs the requested materials to understand the role Trump may have played in fomenting the riot.

Trump gave an incendiary speech before the assault on the Capitol, repeating his false claims that the November 2020 election was stolen from him through widespread voting fraud and urging his supporters to go to the Capitol and 'fight like hell' to 'stop the steal.'

His supporters stormed the Capitol in a failed bid to prevent Congress from certifying now-President Joe Biden's election victory. Biden, a Democrat, took office on January 20.

About 700 people face criminal charges stemming from the riot.

Tear gas is released into a crowd of protesters, with one wielding a Confederate battle flag that reads "Come and Take It," during clashes with Capitol police on January 6

Tear gas is released into a crowd of protesters, with one wielding a Confederate battle flag that reads 'Come and Take It,' during clashes with Capitol police on January 6


Also on Tuesday, the House committee issued 10 new subpoenas that included former White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany and Trump senior adviser Stephen Miller.

'The Select Committee wants to learn every detail of what went on in the White House on January 6th and in the days beforehand.  

'We need to know precisely what role the former President and his aides played in efforts to stop the counting of the electoral votes and if they were in touch with anyone outside the White House attempting to overturn the outcome of the election,' Chairman Bennie Thompson wrote announcing the fresh subpoenas.

He said the 10 witnesses in the announcement had 'relevant information' to aid the Congressional investigation.


McEnany is a person of interest because she pushed false election fraud claims from the White House podium and was with the former president for parts of January 6, the select committee said.

The committee said it's interested in hearing from Miller because he 'by his own account participated in efforts to spread false information about alleged voter fraud in the November 2020 election.'

Miller also encouraged Republican state legislators to alter their states' election results by appointing alternate slates of electors to the Electoral College. And Miller was with Trump when he spoke at the 'Stop the Steal' rally, the morning of January 6. 

Beyond the household names of Miller and McEnany, the committee also wants to hear from Nicholas Luna, former President Donald Trump's personal assistant, Molly Michael, the Oval Office Operations Coordinator, as well as Ben Williamson, who worked under White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. 

The select committee said Williamson was reportedly contacted by a former White House official during the attack who urged him and Meadows to encourage Trump to issue a statement condemning the violence - which the president did not. 

The committee also subpoenaed Christopher Liddell, who reportedly tried to resign over January 6, but stayed on 'after a great deal of persuasion.' 

Personnel Director John McEntee's testimony is also wanted by the committee. 

Lawmakers believe McEntee was privy to an Oval Office meeting in which Rudy Giuliani suggested seizing Dominion voting machine in a move to prove there was election fraud. 

'McEntee was also reportedly involved in communications with officials in various federal agencies regarding loyalty to President Trump and specifically discouraged a number of individuals from seeking employment after the election as it would appear to be a concession of President Trump's defeat,' the release from the January 6 select committee said. 

Other subpoenas went to Cassidy Hutchinson, who served as Special Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs, and Kenneth Klukowski, former Senior Counsel to Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Clark.     

Trump sent out a statement shortly after the subpoena announcement, grumbling about the committee. 

'The Unselect Committee of politically ambitious hacks continues to subpoena people wanting to know about those protesting, on January 6th, the insurrection which took place during the Presidential Election of November 3rd,' Trump said. 

He has been saying that the real 'insurrection' was the November 3 election, as he continues to peddle the so-called 'big lie.'  

'There is so much proof, but the Fake News Media refuses to print it or show it in any way, shape, or form,' Trump continued. 

'Just read the findings of the Arizona report, or look at what's happening in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and numerous other States.' 

'That's right, the Committee is studying the PROTEST when it should be studying the Fraudulent Election that led to the protest,' the ex-president added. 

'As the LameStream Media knows, the facts are there for all to see!'  

Former White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany
Top Trump aide Stephen Miller

The January 6 House select committee issued 10 new subpoenas on Tuesday including for former White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany (left) and former President Donald Trump's senior adviser Stephen Miller (right) 

Former White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany (left) stands in the White House driveway alongside former President Donald Trump (right) in September 2020

Former White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany (left) stands in the White House driveway alongside former President Donald Trump (right) in September 2020 

January: McEnany says White House condemns violence at Capitol
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The panel subpoenaed former Trump aide Jason Miller, former campaign manager William Stepien, pardoned former national security advisor Michael Flynn, Angela McCallum, Trump lawyer John Eastman and former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik. 

'These six individuals include staff members of the former President's campaign and individuals associated with the so-called 'war room' that drove efforts to halt the counting of electoral votes in the run-up to the violence of January 6th,' the committee wrote in announcing the subpoenas.

'In the days before the January 6th attack, the former President's closest allies and advisors drove a campaign of misinformation about the election and planned ways to stop the count of Electoral College votes,' wrote panel chair Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi. 

He added: 'The Select Committee needs to know every detail about their efforts to overturn the election, including who they were talking to in the White House and in Congress, what connections they had with rallies that escalated into a riot, and who paid for it all.'

The Trump team appeared to be anticipating an adverse ruling. 

Judge Chutkan in a hearing last week sounded skeptical when Trump's lawyers argued the House committee lacked jurisdiction requiring it to obtain documents related to January 6. 

'The January 6 riot happened in the Capitol. That is literally Congress' house,' Judge Chutkan said.

Stephen Miller, a senior adviser to the former president, has been subpoenaed over the fact that he encouraged Republican state legislators to alter their states' election results by appointing alternate slates of electors to the Electoral College

Stephen Miller, a senior adviser to the former president, has been subpoenaed over the fact that he encouraged Republican state legislators to alter their states' election results by appointing alternate slates of electors to the Electoral College

Personnel Director John McEntee's testimony is also wanted by the committee. Lawmakers believe McEntee was privy to an Oval Office meeting in which Rudy Giuliani suggested seizing Dominion voting machine in a move to prove there was election fraud

Personnel Director John McEntee's testimony is also wanted by the committee. Lawmakers believe McEntee was privy to an Oval Office meeting in which Rudy Giuliani suggested seizing Dominion voting machine in a move to prove there was election fraud

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