In historic move, House Jan. 6 committee votes to subpoena Trump

In her opening statement, Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, the committee's vice chair, said a key component of the committee's investigation looks at the vulnerability of American democracy.

"Why would Americans assume that our Constitution and our institutions and our Republic are invulnerable to another attack? Why would we assume that those institutions will not falter next time?" she asked.

Cheney, who has been at the forefront of the Jan. 6 investigation at the expense of her own political future, said the American institutions "only hold" when "men and women of good faith make them hold regardless of the political cost."

"We have no guarantee that these men and women will be in place next time," she added.

Rep. Liz Cheney, the Republican vice chair of the committee, said today's focus will be Trump's behavior and actions during the time leading up to and during the U.S. Capitol attack.

"Today we will focus on President Trump's state of mind, his intent, his motivations and how he spurred others to do his bidding and how another Jan. 6 could happen again if we do not take necessary action to prevent it," Cheney said in her opening statement.

One of the Republican Party's harshest critics of Trump, Cheney placed the blame squarely on the former president for the violence that unfolded.

"The vast weight of evidence presented so far has shown us the central cause of Jan. 6 was one man: Donald Trump," she said in her opening remarks.

Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., hinted that the panel could vote on further efforts by the committee beyond Thursday's proceedings.

"We are convened today not as a hearing but as a formal committee business meeting so that in addition to presenting evidence, we can potentially hold a committee vote on further investigative action based on that evidence," Thompson said in his opening statement.

Thompson said earlier in the day that the House committee has not ruled out subpoenaing former President Donald Trump. The panel is also considering possible paths to obtaining testimony from further Vice President Mike Pence.

Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., gaveled in the hearing just after 1:00 p.m. on Thursday.

In his opening statement, Thompson once again outlined what the committee called a "multi-part plan" by Trump to contest his election loss -- one Thompson said has come into focus in large part because of witness testimony.

"The most striking fact is that all this evidence comes almost entirely from Republicans," Thompson said. "The evidence that has emerged did not come from Democrats or opponents of Donald Trump."

Thompson continued, "Instead, look at who's written and testified and produced evidence. Who has that been? Aides who've worked loyally for Trump for years, Republican state officials and legislatures, Republican electors, the chairwoman of the Republican National Committee."

Bombshell testimonials so far have come from former Attorney General Bill Barr, former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson, Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner and others.

Thompson said the committee Thursday will play new testimony from additional Republicans that served in the Trump administration, as well as never-before-seen footage of congressional leaders on Jan. 6.