In historic move, House Jan. 6 committee votes to subpoena Trump
Americans deserve to hear from him, Rep. Liz Cheney said.
The House Jan. 6 committee on Thursday, after a months-long hiatus, held its ninth public hearing since June, and possibly its last in its investigation into the U.S. Capitol attack.
The panel focused on the role of former President Donald Trump, alleging he was front and center of a plot to overturn the 2020 election and in a historic development, voted unanimously to subpoena Trump to testify.
Here's how the story developed:
Memo shows drafted statement for Trump declaring 'I won'
Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., showed a new memo the committee received from the National Archives showing plans for Trump to declare victory on Election Day regardless of the outcome.
The memo -- dated Oct. 31, 2020 -- was sent by Tom Fitton, a political activist and head of the conservative group Judicial Watch, to members of Trump's team.
"We had an Election today -- and I won," the memo read.
"The ballots counted by the Election Day deadline show the American people have bestowed on me the great honor of reelection to President of the United States."
Lofgren also said Brad Parscale, Trump's former campaign manager, told the committee Trump planned as early as July to say he won even though he lost.
Cheney: Can Jan. 6 occur again?
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.
Cheney: Panel will focus on Trump’s 'state of mind,' motivations
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.
Thompson opens door to vote on 'further investigative action' Thursday
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.