Oct. 21, 2022 at 3:07 pm Updated Oct. 21, 2022 at 3:07 pm
By David Horsey Seattle Times cartoonist
This week, U.S. District Court Judge David Carter ruled that email messages between former President Donald Trump and one of his political advisers, attorney John Eastman, must be released to the House Jan. 6 committee because they contain evidence of potential crimes. Specifically, the messages indicate that Trump knowingly lied about voter fraud in court documents.. "Judge: Trump knew vote fraud claims in legal docs were false" https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation-politics/judge-trump-knew-vote-fraud-claims-in-legal-docs-were-false/
“The emails show that President Trump knew that the specific numbers of voter fraud were wrong but continued to tout those numbers, both in court and to the public,” Carter wrote in his ruling.
That is what is colloquially referred to as a “smoking gun.” It is the kind of clear, damning evidence that investigators finally found in Richard Nixon’s Oval Office tapes during the Watergate scandal. In Trump’s case, though, it is not the only hot weapon.
The 5th wold get yet another workout. -- Will Donald Trump be forced to testify before the US House January 6 committee investigating the US Capitol attack
"Cheney: 1/6 panel won’t let Trump turn testimony into circus"
Posted Sat 22 Oct 2022 at 2:19pm Saturday 22 Oct 2022 at 2:19pm
IMAGE of the villain.
Former US president Donald Trump has been subpoenaed by the committee investigating the January 6 2021 attack on the US Capitol.
The subpoena to former president Donald Trump, issued by the House committee investigating the January 6 attack on the US Capitol. (AP Photo: Jon Elswick)
Committee issues subpoena
The committee is asking Mr Trump to hand over documents by November 4 and provide testimony “on or about” November 14 and possibly for longer.
The nine-member panel has already interviewed more than 1,000 people as part of the investigation.
The committee has spoken to people who are close to Mr Trump, but politicians believe there are details that only he can confirm.
In a letter accompanying the subpoena, the committee said they wanted to speak to Mr Trump because of his "central role" in the effort to overturn his defeat.
The letter said Mr Trump knew it was illegal and that he knew his claims about the election were false.
What is the committee asking for in the subpoena?
The panel is mainly seeking text messages, phone call logs and other communications from Mr Trump.
This includes any conference calls on the day of the attack on the US Capitol.
It specifically mentions the encrypted messaging app Signal, which was frequently used by Mr Trump's aides and allies.
The requests include any communications referring to extremist groups who were coming to Washington and pressure on state legislators to overturn the vote.
It calls for messages about his vice-president, Mike Pence, whom Trump was pushing to object to President Joe Biden’s victory.
The committee is asking Mr Trump to provide any photos and video "relating in any way" to the events on January 6.
The request also asks for electronic or handwritten notes or any other documents "memorialising conversations" about the joint session of Congress or the violence.
The committee has specifically asked Mr Trump to include any notes about his "possible travel to the Capitol that day."
This follows testimonies that he was extremely angry when security blocked his plan to join the march to the Capitol.
The letter accompanying the subpoena specifically asks for testimony about his dealings with several of his closest allies.
These are the allies that have asserted their fifth amendment rights against self-incrimination to the committee.
Donald Trump's supporters on January 6, 2021. (AP: John Minchillo)
Can Mr Trump refuse?
If Trump doesn't comply, the panel will have to weigh the practical and political implications of a vote on holding him in contempt of Congress.
If the full house votes to recommend such a charge, the Justice Department will review the case.
Congressional testimony by a former or sitting president is not unprecedented.
The letter by the committee lists seven former presidents, most recently Gerald Ford, who testified after leaving office.
Mr Trump's former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon has been convicted on two counts of contempt of Congress for refusing to testify or provide documents subpoenaed by the committee.
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