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Jan. 6 hearings: The latest

‘I don’t want to say the election is over,’ Trump says in video outtake of speech day after attack

By Globe StaffUpdated July 21, 2022, 10:47 p.m.
Vice Chair Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., speaks as the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol holds a hearing at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, July 21, 2022. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., left, and Rep. Elaine Luria, D-Va., right, listen. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)J. Scott Applewhite/Associated Press

Despite desperate pleas from aides, allies, Republican congressional leaders, and even his family, former president Donald Trump refused to call off the Jan. 6 mob attack on the Capitol, instead “pouring gasoline on the fire” by aggressively tweeting his false claims of a stolen election and telling the crowd of supporters in a video address how special they were, the committee investigating the attack showed during a Thursday night primetime hearing.

Representative Liz Cheney, a Wyoming Republican and the vice chair of the committee, said the panel will return in September for additional hearings to reveal more of its findings.

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Here’s a look at what Thursday night’s hearing revealed.

 

July 21, 2022

 

Five takeaways from the second prime time Jan. 6 committee hearing — 11:04 p.m.

By James Pindell, Globe Staff

The second prime-time hearing from the House Select Committee on the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol concentrated on the 187 minutes from the moment President Trump left the rally stage to the moment he issued a video telling supporters to leave the Capitol.

The previous hearings had focused on aspects leading up that afternoon, which made Thursday night’s hearing somewhat of a culmination of the evidence gathered so far.

Here are five takeaways from the hearing.

By Amanda Kaufman, Globe Staff

Republican Representative Liz Cheney, the vice chair of the Jan. 6 committee, adjourned Thursday night’s hearing.

By The Associated Press

Members of the House committee investigating the Capitol riot are saying unequivocally that Donald Trump is to blame for the violence and they’re saying lawmakers will recommend ways to prevent another Jan. 6.

As the committee wrapped up its prime-time hearing Thursday, Democratic Representative Elaine Luria of Virginia said “President Trump did not then and does not now have the character or courage to say to the American people what his own people know to be true. He is responsible for the attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6.”

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And fellow committee member Adam Kinzinger, a Republican congressman from Illinois, said that “whatever your politics, whatever you think about the outcome of the election, we as Americans must all agree on this. Donald Trump’s conduct on Jan. 6 was a supreme violation of his oath of office and a complete dereliction of his duty to our nation. It is a stain on our history.”

Vice chair Liz Cheney, a Wyoming Republican, said Trump “made a purposeful choice to violate his oath of office, to ignore the ongoing violence against law enforcement, threatening our constitutional order.”

Kinzinger said it’s important that the committee recommend ways to prevent a future Jan. 6 because “the forces that Donald Trump ignited have not gone away.”

‘I’ve had it with this guy,’ McCarthy says of Trump after Jan. 6 — 10:25 p.m.

By Amanda Kaufman, Globe Staff

House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy said in a Jan. 11 phone call about former president Donald Trump that he has “had it with this guy” and that “what he did is unacceptable.”

“Nobody can defend that and nobody should defend it,” McCarthy said, adding “it would be my recommendation that he resign.”

‘I don’t want to say the election is over,’ Trump says in outtakes of Jan. 7 video address — 10:18 p.m.

By Amanda Kaufman, Globe Staff

The committee played outtakes of a video of former president Donald Trump taping remarks to the nation on the day after the Capitol attack in which he says he doesn’t “want to say the election is over.”

“If you broke the law,” Trump begins to say in the video, before pausing. “I can’t say that,” he says.

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Jan. 6 attack ‘emboldened our enemies,’ Pottinger testifies — 10:11 p.m.

By Amanda Kaufman, Globe Staff

Matthew Pottinger, former deputy national security advisor to Donald Trump, said the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol “emboldened our enemies.”

Pottinger said the attack gave ammunition to the narrative that America’s system of democracy doesn’t work and that America is in decline. He also said the insurrection attempt was a cause of concern for America’s allies over the health of the country.

Pottinger resigned following the events on Jan. 6, 2021.

‘Mike Pence let me down,’ Trump said to White House staffer on Jan. 6 — 10:04 p.m.

By Amanda Kaufman, Globe Staff

Former president Donald Trump, as he was preparing to leave to the White House residence on Jan. 6, remarked to a White House employee that “Mike Pence let me down,” Representative Adam Kinzinger, an Illinois Republican and committee member said.

Trump didn’t say anything about the attack on the Capitol, Kinzinger added.

Trump’s last tweet on Jan. 6 ‘justified the violence as a natural response to the election,’ Kinzinger says — 10:01 p.m.

By Amanda Kaufman, Globe Staff

Illinois Republican Representative Adam Kinzinger said Donald Trump’s final tweet on Jan. 6 “justified the violence as a natural response to the election.”

At 6:01 p.m., after the citywide curfew went into effect and officers engaged in hand-to-hand combat with insurrectionists, Kinzinger said, Trump posted his last tweet of the day and ”justified the violence as a natural response to the election.”

Trump’s tweet said: “These are the things and events that happen when a sacred, landslide victory is so unceremoniously, viciously stripped away from great patriots who have been badly, unfairly treated for so long. Go home with love and peace. Remember this day forever.”

“He showed absolutely no remorse,” Kinzinger said.

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Trump’s address was ‘disturbing,’ and ‘indefensible,’ Matthews testifies — 9:55 p.m.

By Amanda Kaufman, Globe Staff

Sarah Matthews, former deputy press secretary, called Trump’s address “disturbing” because he told the followers “we love you” and that he didn’t distinguish between those who peacefully attended the rally and those who had tried to overturn the election.

”As a spokesperson for him, I knew that I would be asked to defend that,” Matthews said about the statement, adding that it was “indefensible.”

Matthews said she knew that she would be resigning at the end of that day following that tweet.

Judd Deere, another former deputy White House press secretary, called Trump’s statement “the absolute bare minimum” of what he could have said.

Deere said Trump’s statement, which he gave off the cuff, ignoring prepared statements from his staff, should have included a more forceful demand to go home, more respect for law enforcement, and more respect for the US Capitol building.

New video shows congressional leaders asking defense officials if securing Capitol would take days — 9:48 p.m.

By Amanda Kaufman, Globe Staff

A new video displayed by the committee showed Senator Chuck Schumer asking Christopher Miller, the acting defense secretary, if it would take days to secure the Capitol, as some Capitol Police officials had assessed.

Miller replied that he wasn’t on the ground, but disagreed that it would take days, and would likely take four to five hours before Congress could resume certifying the electoral count.

Trump strayed from prepared script to call off rioters, instead saying ‘we love you,’ committee shows — 9:48 p.m.

By Amanda Kaufman, Globe Staff

Despite being urged to address the rioters laying siege to the Capitol for more than two hours, President Trump did not decide to do so until it became clear that the attackers would not succeed, according to the Jan. 6 committee.

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By the time Trump moved to the Rose Garden to deliver the 4:17 p.m. video statement, law enforcement had begun turning the tide of the assault and politicians had been brought to safety, the committee said Thursday night.

”The writing was already on the wall. The rioters would not succeed,” said Representative Elaine Luria (D-Va).

In his address, Trump refused to use the script given to him by his staff, instead speaking “off the cuff,” the committee said.

The script, according to material displayed by the committee, said: “I am asking you to leave the Capitol Hill region NOW and go home in a peaceful way.”

Instead, Trump told the rioters to “go home,” and added “we love you” and “you’re very special.” He also reiterated false claims of a stolen election.

McCarthy was ‘scared,’ Kushner testifies — 9:43 p.m.

By Amanda Kaufman, Globe Staff

House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy was “scared” during the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, Donald Trump’s son-in-law and advisor Jared Kushner testified.

“Think about that. Leader McCarthy, who was one of the president’s strongest supporters, was scared and begging for help. President Trump turned him down,” Illinois Republican Representative Adam Kinzinger said.

McCarthy called Trump to ask him to condemn the violence and call off the mob, but Trump declined.

“Well Kevin, I guess they’re just more upset about the election theft than you are,” Trump responded.

Trump did not want to mention ‘peace’ in tweet condemning Capitol violence, Matthews says — 9:37 p.m.

By Amanda Kaufman, Globe Staff

Sarah Matthews, former White House deputy press secretary, testified that Donald Trump “did not want to include any sort of mention of peace” in a tweet condemning the Capitol insurrection.

Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump recommended the phrase “stay peaceful,” and Trump agreed to include it, Matthews said she was told by former White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany.

Some White House officials were concerned that Trump condemning the mob would be “handing the media a win,” Matthews testified.

“I motioned up at the TV and I said, ‘Do you think it looks like we’re effing winning? Because I don’t think that it does,’” Matthews said.

Cipollone lists multiple White House officials who thought Trump needed to do more to condemn violence — 9:34 p.m.

By Amanda Kaufman, Globe Staff

Pat Cipollone, Trump’s White House counsel, listed the White House officials who thought Donald Trump needed to forcefully condemn the rioters.

Pat Philbin, Eric Herschmann, Mark Meadows, Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, Keith Kellogg, Kayleigh McEnany, and Dan Scavino were among the officials who wanted Trump to act further to call off the mob.

Committee shows text messages, including from Trump’s son, to Meadows during attack — 9:31 p.m.

By Amanda Kaufman, Globe Staff

The Jan. 6 committee showed text messages from members of Congress, White House aides, and Fox News personalities pleading with Donald Trump’s former chief of staff Mark Meadows to urge Trump to quell the violence.

Donald Trump Jr. texted Meadows that Trump’s initial tweet was “not enough.”

The hearing is back after a break break. Watch it live. — 9:25 p.m.

By Amanda Kaufman, Globe Staff

Thursday night’s Jan. 6 hearing has returned after taking a brief break. Watch it live here:

By Amanda Kaufman, Globe Staff

Video released by the panel Thursday night showed Missouri Republican Senator Josh Hawley running for safety as the mob incited by former president Donald Trump attacked the Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021.

Earlier in the day, Hawley had raised his fist to the protesters in a sign of support.

After the Senate proceedings resumed hours later, Hawley was one of a handful of senators to object to the certification of the 2020 election results.

Pottinger says he decided to resign after Trump’s tweet attacking Pence — 9:07 p.m.

By Amanda Kaufman, Globe Staff

Former Trump deputy national security adviser Matt Pottinger testified that he was “quite disturbed” by a tweet Donald Trump sent during the Capitol insurrection in which he attacked Mike Pence for refusing to halt the electoral certification, and it prompted his resignation.

Trump’s tweet said: “Mike Pence didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution, giving States a chance to certify a corrected set of facts, not the fraudulent or inaccurate ones which they were asked to previously certify. USA demands the truth!”

Sarah Matthews, former White House deputy press secretary, said that the 2:24 p.m. Trump tweet attacking Pence for not halting the electoral count was “him giving the green light to these people” attacking the Capitol and telling them they were “justified in their anger.”

“He shouldn’t have been doing that,” Matthews said.

Matthews, who had toured with Trump during his reelection campaign, said she was familiar with the intense loyalty of Trump’s crowds, saying “they truly latch on to every word and every tweet.”

“I was disturbed and worried to see that the president was attacking Vice President Pence for doing his constitutional duty,” Pottinger said. “The tweet looked to me like the opposite of what we really needed at that moment, which was a de-escalation.”

“That was the moment that I decided I was going to resign,” Pottinger said. “I simply didn’t want to be associated with the events that were unfolding on the Capitol.”

White House security official testified that members of Pence’s detail feared for their lives during attack — 9:01 p.m.

By Amanda Kaufman, Globe Staff

A White House security official, whose identity was concealed, testified that members of former vice president Mike Pence’s security detail feared for their lives during the attack.

“Members of the VP detail at this time were starting to fear for their own lives,” the official said. “There was a lot of yelling.”

There were “personal calls” over the radio and it was “disturbing,” the official said. Officials were calling over the radio to say goodbye to their family members, the official testified.

“It was getting — for whatever reason — the VP detail thought that this was about to get very ugly.”

Aides said they pressed for public statement from Trump early in Capitol attack — 8:57 p.m.

By Amanda Kaufman, Globe Staff

Two aides who worked in the White House press secretary’s office testified that they pressed for a public statement from Trump early in the attacks on Jan. 6, 2021.

Sarah Matthews, a former deputy press secretary testifying in person, said she believed “the president needed to be out there immediately to tell these people to go home and condemn the violence we were seeing.”

Judd Deere, another former deputy White House press secretary, in video testimony said he told former Trump press secretary Kayleigh McEnany “we needed to encourage individuals to stop, to respect law enforcement, and to go home.”

It would have taken ‘60 seconds’ for Trump to reach briefing room to issue public statement — 8:55 p.m.

By Amanda Kaufman, Globe Staff

Former deputy press secretary Sarah Matthews testified it would have taken about “60 seconds” for Trump to reach the briefing room and that the White House could have assembled press in a matter of minutes for a public statement.

Trump was calling senators to encourage them to delay certification during Jan. 6 attack, panel says — 8:50 p.m.

By Amanda Kaufman, Globe Staff

Kayleigh McEnany, Donald Trump’s former press secretary, testified before the committee that Trump wanted a list of senators to call as the violence on Jan. 6 was unfolding.

McEnany said she didn’t know which senators Trump called.

“He wanted a list of senators and I left him at that point,” McEnany said.

Cipollone says ‘many people suggested’ public statement to call off riot — 8:43 p.m.

By Amanda Kaufman, Globe Staff

Pat Cipollone, Trump’s White House counsel, testified that he and multiple officials pressed for a public statement to tell the rioters to leave the Capitol on Jan. 6.

The president sat in the dining room at the White House watching the attack unfold on Fox News, while aides began pressuring him to condemn the actions of the rioters, according to the committee.

As soon as it was clear that there was violence, Cipollone said he expressed that “people need to be told, there needs to be a public announcement fast, that they need to leave the Capitol.”

“Many people suggested it,” Cipollone said.

Cipollone said Trump’s daughter, Ivanka, former advisor Eric Herschmann, and former chief of staff Mark Meadows all asked Trump to address the situation.

Cipollone also said it would have been possible for Trump to immediately address the nation from the briefing room in the White House at any moment during the attack.

No official record of Trump’s calls, actions for hours on Jan. 6, panel shows — 8:35 p.m.

By Amanda Kaufman, Globe Staff

Representative Elaine Luria, a Virginia Democrat, said there are no official records of Donald Trump’s calls or actions for hours on Jan. 6.

“Other witnesses confirmed that President Trump was in the dining room with the TV on for more than 2.5 hours,” Luria said, and there was no record of what he did while in the dining room.

The presidential call log doesn’t show Trump receiving or placing a call between 11:06 a.m. and 6:54 p.m., Luria said.

The presidential diary is “silent,” Luria said, and there was no information listed on Trump’s actions from a period between 1:21 p.m. and 4:03 p.m. There are also no photos of Trump, Luria said.

“From 1:25 until after 4, the president stayed in his dining room,” Luria said.

Panel presents testimony from sources who confirmed that angry confrontation in SUV took place — 8:30 p.m.

By Amanda Kaufman, Globe Staff

Representative Elaine Luria, a Virginia Democrat, presented testimony from “multiple sources” about an angry exchange in the presidential SUV on Jan. 6, confirming testimony from a former White House aide in a previous hearing.

The panel will disclose testimony during the hearing “from two witnesses who confirmed that a confrontation occurred.”

Cassidy Hutchinson, a top aide to former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, said in a previous hearing before the panel that she was told that Donald Trump demanded to go to the Capitol on Jan. 6, but was told by Bobby Engel, the head of Trump’s security detail, that he was going back to the West Wing.

Hutchinson was told that Trump was “irate” and said something to the effect of, “I’m the f--ing president, take me to the Capitol now.”

Hutchinson said she was told Trump tried to grab the steering wheel, and Engel grabbed his arm and told Trump to take his hand off the steering wheel, and again said they weren’t going to the Capitol.

Pottinger and Matthews are sworn in to begin testifying — 8:22 p.m.

By Amanda Kaufman, Globe Staff

Republican Representative Liz Cheney, the vice chair of the Jan. 6 committee, has sworn in former Trump deputy national security adviser Matt Pottinger and former White House deputy press secretary Sarah Matthews.

Former National Security Council member Matthew Pottinger and former Deputy White House Press Secretary Sarah Matthews are sworn in during a hearing by House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the Capitol in the Cannon House Office Building on Thursday. Pool/Getty

‘Virtually everyone’ told Trump to condemn violence, but he chose not to, Luria says — 8:15 p.m.

By Amanda Kaufman, Globe Staff

Representative Elaine Luria, a Virginia Democrat and a member of the Jan. 6 committee, said that “virtually everyone” told Donald Trump to condemn the violence as it was unfolding, but he “chose not to do” what people begged him to.

The committee played the video statement Trump issued hours after the insurrection began in which Trump told the rioters they were “very special” and said “we love you.”

“What you will learn is that President Trump sat in his dining room and watched the attack on television,” Luria said.

“President Trump refused to act because of his selfish desire to stay in power,” she added.

‘The dam has begun to break,’ Cheney says — 8:09 p.m.

By Amanda Kaufman, Globe Staff

Representative Liz Cheney, a Wyoming Republican and the vice chair of the Jan. 6 committee, said as the committee has gathered new evidence and new witnesses have stepped forward, “the dam has begun to break.”

Cheney said the committee will spend August pursuing information before convening more hearings in September.

“Only one thing was succeeding in the afternoon of Jan. 6,” Cheney said, “The angry, armed mob President Trump sent to the Capitol broke through security ...”

”That mob was violent and destructive and many came armed,” Cheney said.

No one defended Trump in the days after Jan. 6, and “no one should do so today,” Cheney said.

Thompson begins Thursday night’s Jan. 6 hearing — 8:03 p.m.

By Amanda Kaufman, Globe Staff

Representative Bennie Thompson, the Jan. 6 committee chair, virtually gaveled in Thursday night’s primetime hearing on former president Donald Trump’s actions during Jan. 6

Thompson opened the hearing via videoconference, saying he had recently tested positive for COVID-19 and that he is experiencing mild symptoms.

For 187 minutes on Jan. 6, Trump “could not be moved” by his aides, allies, or the chants of rioters, Thompson said.

Trump “ignored and disregarded the desperate pleas of his own family,” including Ivanka and Don. Jr, even though he was the only person who could encourage the insurrectionists to end the attack, Thompson said.

“He could not be moved to rise off his dining room table” to call off the riot, Thompson said.

Thursday night’s hearing is set to begin soon. Watch it live. — 7:50 p.m.

By The Associated Press

The Jan. 6 committee is holding a primetime hearing on what former president Donald Trump did — and didn’t do — as his supporters swarmed the Capitol and interrupted the ceremonial certification of the election on Jan. 6.

Watch live:

By The Associated Press

Representative Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., the chairman of the committee, is isolating after testing positive for COVID-19 and will attend by video.

Representative Elaine Luria, D-Va., a former Naval officer who will lead the session with Representative Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., who flew combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, said she expects the testimony from the White House aides will “just be really compelling.”

Here’s who’s testifying during Thursday’s hearing — 7:26 p.m.

By The Associated Press

Testifying Thursday are former White House aides. Matt Pottinger, who was deputy national security adviser, and Sarah Matthews, then press aide, both submitted their resignations on Jan. 6, 2021, after what they saw that day.

Committee to show how Trump had ‘difficulty in completing his remarks’ in video message to supporters one day after attack — 7:12 p.m.

By Amanda Kaufman, Globe Staff

Representative Jamie Raskin, a Maryland Democrat and member of the Jan. 6 committee investigating the Capitol insurrection, told CNN that the panel will show clips on Thursday night of former president Donald Trump having trouble getting through the taping of a message to his supporters one day after the Capitol attack.

The outtakes of Trump’s message, according to The Washington Post, show Trump trying to call them “patriots” and refusing to say the election was over. Trump struggled to record the message for about one hour, the Post reported.

“The president displayed extreme difficulty in completing his remarks,” Raskin told CNN.

“It’s extremely revealing how exactly he went about making those statements, and we’re going to let everybody see parts of that,” he said.

Representative Adam Schiff, who is also a member of the committee, told CNN that the video “will be significant in terms of what the president was willing to say and what he wasn’t willing to say.”

In preview of hearing, committee shows video of Trump White House officials testifying that former president was watching TV during attack — 5:16 p.m.

By The Associated Press

Ahead of the hearing, the committee released a video of four former White House aides — press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, security aide Gen. Keith Kellogg, White House Counsel Pat Cipollone and executive assistant to the president Molly Michael — testifying that Trump was in the private dining room with the TV on as the violence unfolded.

“Everyone was watching television,” Kellogg said.

Jan. 6 panel probes Trump’s 187 minutes as Capitol attacked — 4:51 p.m.

By The Associated Press

The House Jan. 6 committee aims to show in what could be its final hearing Thursday night that Donald Trump’s lies about a stolen election fueled the grisly U.S. Capitol attack, which he did nothing to stop but instead “gleefully” watched on television at the White House.

The prime-time hearing will dive into the 187 minutes that Trump failed to act on Jan. 6, 2021, despite pleas from aides, allies and even his family. The panel is arguing that the defeated president’s attempts to overturn Joe Biden’s election victory have left the United States facing enduring questions about the resiliency of its democracy.

 

July 20, 2022

 

By Tal Kopan, Globe Staff

At the last Jan. 6 committee hearing, Representative Liz Cheney opened with a stark declaration: “President Trump is a 76-year-old man; he is not an impressionable child.”

It would seem to be an obvious observation considering Trump’s age and resume. And yet Cheney, a Wyoming Republican, felt it needed saying.

The moment spoke to a central tension facing the committee investigating the Jan 6, 2021, insurrection as it holds the final scheduled hearing in prime time Thursday evening. The committee has portrayed Trump as a calculating mastermind of an elaborate plot to overturn the 2020 election and keep himself in power, whatever it took.

 

July 12, 2022

 

By Tal Kopan, Globe Staff

Former president Donald Trump may have given the committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot — and the Justice Department — more legal ammunition against him with the revelation Tuesday that he attempted to contact a witness in the panel’s investigation.

“After our last hearing, President Trump tried to call a witness in our investigation, a witness you have not yet seen in these hearings,” Representative Liz Cheney, the committee’s vice chair, said at the end of nearly three-hour hearing that laid out in chilling detail how extremist groups prepared for violence on Jan. 6, 2021, and seemingly coordinated their efforts with the White House.

By James Pindell, Globe Staff

Tuesday’s Jan. 6 committee hearing, the seventh so far, sought to show that former president Donald Trump summoned a mob to Washington and spurred it to attack the Capitol.

The committee focused on events from Dec. 14, the day the Electoral College certified that Joe Biden was the president-elect, to the evening of Jan. 5, as a crowd of Trump loyalists held a preliminary rally.

Witnesses testified that Trump asked for an outside door to be opened so that he could hear his supporters. They said he was in the best mood he had been in for a while.

By Shannon Larson, Globe staff

Stephen Ayres, who participated in the insurrection, went up to officers who defended the Capitol on the day of the attack, some of whom still have injuries, and apologized to them all at the end of the hearing.

One of the officers, Michael Fanone, told reporters that his words did not have much of an effect, but that he hopes “it does something for him.”

Panel delivers closing remarks, previews next hearing — 4:15 p.m.

By Martin Finucane, Globe staff

Representative Jamie Raskin, in his closing remarks, referred to Trump’s use of the dark phrase “American carnage” to describe the country in his January 2017 inaugural speech.

”It turned out to be an excellent prophecy of what his rage would come to visit on our people,” Raskin said. “American carnage — that’s Donald Trump’s true legacy. His desire to overthrow the people’s election and seize the presidency interrupted the counting of Electoral College votes for the first time in American history, nearly toppled the constitutional order and brutalized hundreds and hundreds of people. The Watergate break-in was like a Cub Scout meeting compared to this assault on our people and our institutions,” Raskin said.

Representative Stephanie Murphy spoke of fleeing the Communist government in Vietnam and immigrating to the United States as a child — and of her love of America. “My patriotism is rooted in my gratitude for America’s grace and generosity. I love this country,” she said.

Our committee’s overriding objective is to fight fiction with facts, to create a full account for the American people and for the historical record, to tell the truth of what happened and why it happened, to make recommendations so it never happens again, to defend our democracy. To me, there’s nothing more patriotic than that,” she said.

The committee promised more revelations at a hearing next week. “Our hearing next week will be a profound moment of reckoning for America,” Raskin said.

Cheney says Trump tried to contact witness in Jan. 6 investigation — 4:07 p.m.

By Shannon Larson, Globe staff

Liz Cheney, the vice chair of the House Jan. 6 committee, said Donald Trump has attempted to contact a witness who was talking to the panel investigating the attack on the Capitol.

The witness did not take the call and alerted their lawyer, who then informed the committee, Cheney said. The Republican from Wyoming added that the Justice Department has been notified.

”We will take any effort to influence witness testimony very seriously,” Cheney said.

Cheney has previously issued a warning about witness tampering.

‘What it was gonna be is an armed revolution,’ former Oath Keepers spokesperson testifies — 4:03 p.m.

By Shannon Larson, Globe staff

Former Oath Keepers spokesperson Jason Van Tatenhove testified he thought that Stewart Rhodes, who founded the far-right group and called on Donald Trump to invoke the Insurrection Act, believed if Trump did so that it would enable the Oath Keepers to “move forward” with the goals and agenda pushed by Rhodes.

“I think we need to quit mincing words,” Van Tatenhove said. “What it was gonna be is an armed revolution. I mean, people died that day. ... This could have been the spark that started a new Civil War.”

He added that the group pushed a number of tactics, among them military training, and that he is thankful the events of the day did not end up worse.

Twitter employee testifies about internal concerns over Trump tweets — 3:50 p.m.

By Martin Finucane, Globe staff

The former Twitter employee who testified anonymously about concerns about Trump’s tweets and the disturbing reactions to them said that on Jan. 5 there were serious internal concerns at the company about violence.

”I don’t know that I slept that night, to be honest with you. I was on pins and needles,” the employee said.

”For months I had been begging and anticipating and attempting to raise the reality that if ... we made no intervention into what I saw occurring, people were going to die,” the employee said.

”And on Jan. 5 I realized no intervention was coming, and even as hard as I had tried to create one or implement one, there was nothing. And we were at the whims, at the mercy of a violent crowd that was locked and loaded,” the employee said.

Committee reveals new texts between former Trump campaign officials — 3:44 p.m.

By Christina Prignano, Globe staff

The committee on Tuesday revealed text messages between former Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale and former Trump spokeswoman Katrina Pierson on the evening of Jan. 6.

In the texts, Parscale expressed remorse for helping elect Trump in 2016. He also asserted that Trump’s speech that morning had sparked the violence that followed.

Representative Stephanie Murphy said Parscale “recognized the impact of the speech immediately.”

Received by Katrina Pierson

Jan. 6 2021

  1. Brad Parscale

    This is about trump pushing for uncertainty in our country
    A sitting president asking for civil war
    This week I feel guilty for helping him win

  2. Katrina Pierson

    You did what you felt right at the time and therefore it was right

  3. Brad Parscale

    Yeah. But a woman is dead

  4. Katrina Pierson

    You do realize this was going to happen

  5. Brad Parscale

    Yeah, if I was trump and knew my rhetoric killed someone.

  6. Katrina Pierson

    It wasn’t the rhetoric.

  7. Brad Parscale

    Katrina.

    Yes it was

By Shannon Larson, Globe staff

Stephen Ayres, who pleaded guilty to charges connected to the insurrection, said he never intended on marching to the Capitol, but that Trump got “everyone” riled up and urged them to march. He testified that he had only planned on attending the “Stop the Steal” rally at the Ellipse.

Ayres said that “everyone,” thought Trump would be joining them. He said he left after Trump put his tweet out urging supporters to leave the area, and that if the former president had done so earlier in the day, it was his belief that the situation would not have been “as bad.”

Members of Congress aired concerns in run-up to Capitol attack — 3:30 p.m.

By Shannon Larson, Globe staff

There were concerns aired among members of Congress in the lead-up to the Capitol insurrection, according to audio played by the committee.

Representative Debbie Lesko, a Republican from Arizona, who was among those who voted to object to the results of the presidential election, said in the audio that she asked leadership to come up with a safety plan for members, citing a number of groups, including supporters of the former president.

“[We have] Trump supporters, who actually believe that we are going to overturn the election,” Lesko said. “And when that doesn’t happen... they are going to go nuts.”

Bannon spoke to Trump twice prior to insurrection, per phone logs — 3:22 p.m.

By Shannon Larson, Globe staff

Donald Trump spoke to Steve Bannon, his close adviser, twice on Jan. 5, 2021, according to phone logs obtained by the committee, with one of those conversations lasting for 11 minutes.

After speaking with the president, Bannon said that “all hell was going to break loose” and encouraged his viewers to “strap in.”

Cipollone said he did not believe Pence had power to overturn election results — 3:20 p.m.

By Martin Finucane, Globe staff

Pat Cipollone said that he did not believe that then-vice president Mike Pence had the power to overturn the results of the election on Jan. 6, an idea that had been espoused by Trump attorney John Eastman.

”My view was that the vice president didn’t have the legal authority to do anything except what he did,” which was to certify the election, Cipollone said.

He said he told someone in the vice president’s office, “just blame me. I’m not a politician. I just said, ‘I’m a lawyer. This is my legal opinion.’”

”I think the vice president did the right thing. I think he did the courageous thing.I have a great deal of respect for Vice President Pence. … I think he did a great service to this country,” Cipollone said.

Cipollone said he had suggested to somebody that Pence should get a “Presidential Medal of Freedom for his actions.”

March to Capitol ‘not spontaneous call to action’ — 3:13 p.m.

By Bloomberg News

The committee showed an email from Katrina Pierson, a former Trump campaign official, showing Donald Trump wanted a big crowd on Jan. 6 and a march to the Capitol. Committee member Stephanie Murphy said, “the evidence confirms this was not a spontaneous call to action.”

An email from Pierson to rally organizers on Jan. 2 said, “POTUS expectations are to have something intimate at the ellipse, and call on everyone to march to the capitol.” Pierson also said in a separate clip, Trump “likes the crazies.”

The committee also showed a draft tweet from the National Archives stamped, “president has seen” that had Trump announcing his Jan. 6 speech with “massive crowds expected” and “march to the Capitol after. Stop the Steal!!”

Members of House GOP caucus attended meeting at White House about ‘Eastman theory’ — 3:03 p.m.

By Shannon Larson, Globe staff

According to White House visitor logs obtained by the committee, members present at the White House included Representatives Brian Babin, Andy Biggs, Matt Gaetz, Louie Gohmert, Andy Harris, Jody Hice, Scott Perry, and congresswoman-elect Marjorie Taylor-Greene, Representative Stephanie Murphy said.

A pardon was ultimately requested by Mo Brooks and others who attended this meeting, Murphy said. Witnesses said during the Dec. 21, 2020, meeting that part of the discussion centered on the counting of electoral votes, which later became known as the “Eastman Theory,” being pushed by attorney John Eastman, Murphy said.

Trump draft tweet, other messages indicate that march to Capitol was planned — 2:56 p.m.

By Shannon Larson, Globe staff

The committee showed a tweet originating from Donald Trump’s drafts, along with other communications, demonstrating that the march on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, was planned ahead of time.

The panel said the White House had drafted, but did not send, a tweet where Trump said he would be making a “Big Speech” at the Ellipse. He added that there would be “massive crowds.”

Trump wanted the march to appear spontaneous, people involved told the committee.

“I will be making a Big Speech at 10AM on January 6th at the Ellipse (South of the White House). Please arrive early, massive crowds expected. March to the Capitol after. Stop the Steal!!” the tweet read.

Although it was never sent, Trump informed his allies of his plans, the panel said. The documents were obtained from the National Archives.

“The evidence confirms that this was not a spontaneous call to action, but rather a deliberate strategy decided upon in advance by the president,” Representative Stephanie Murphy said.

Oath Keepers leader called on Trump to declare martial law — 2:50 p.m.

By Shannon Larson, Globe staff

The committee played encrypted communications between Roger Stone, a political consultant and longtime confidant to Trump, and members of the Oath Keepers in a chat called “Friends of Stone” that urged people to march on the Capitol on the day of the insurrection.

Stewart Rhodes, who founded the far-right Oath Keepers, called on Trump to invoke martial law on Dec. 12, 2020, promising “bloodshed” if he did not. That night, the Proud Boys engaged in violent demonstrations, Representative Jamie Raskin said.

Stone communicated directly with Oath Keepers, and was guarded by two of them on the day of the attack, he added, including one who later pleaded guilty.

Twitter employee spoke of growing concern at company following Trump’s message to Proud Boys — 2:40 p.m.

By Martin Finucane, Globe staff

The committee played audio of an interview with a former Twitter employee who spoke of growing concern at the company after Trump’s message to the Proud Boys to “stand back and stand by” at a Sept. 29, 2020, debate with Joe Biden.

The employee, who was on the content moderation team, said that before the Dec. 19 tweet, “It was vague. It was non-specific but very clear that individuals were ready, willing, and able to take up arms.”

After the Dec. 19 tweet, “it became clear not only were these individuals ready and willing, but the leader of their cause was asking them to join him in this cause and in fighting for this cause in D.C. on Jan. 6 as well.

”The tweet drew shocking responses, the witness said, including, “I’m locked and loaded and ready for Civil War Part 2.”

Witnesses arrive to deliver testimony at hearing — 2:24 p.m.

By Shannon Larson, Globe staff

The witnesses set to deliver testimony at the seventh public hearing have arrived, they include Jason Van Tatenhove, who once worked as the national media director for the Oath Keepers, and Stephen Ayres, who pleaded guilty to illegally entering the Capitol on the day of the insurrection.

Officers who defended the Capitol on that day, many of whom have been left with injuries, were pictured sitting just a few feet away from them.

Trump supporters began to organize for rally after Dec. 19 tweet — 2:16 p.m.

By Shannon Larson, Globe staff

The committee showed evidence and played video testimony demonstrating that after Donald Trump tweeted his, “Be there, be wild,” tweet about Jan. 6, 2021, only hours after the December planning session at the White House.

In the hours after the tweet, the pro-Trump organization Women for Trump applied to move their permit for a rally to that day.

The panel played a compilation of videos from late that month, which highlighted a variety of supporters of the former president, including hosts of various Internet shows, telling viewers that Trump was calling on them to march. One of those loyalists urged for a “red wedding,” in a reference to the HBO show “Game of Thrones,” while another contemplated methods to break into the Capitol. Alex Jones was one such media personality.

Some of the discussions on right-wing websites, the committee showed, included ways to maim and even kill members of law enforcement — through handcuffs, zip ties, and other weapons. Others warned the Capitol break-in could last for days.

Trump’s inner circle proposed extreme plans to keep him in power — 2:04 p.m.

By Martin Finucane, Globe staff

The committee played testimony from multiple witnesses to an extraordinary White House meeting on Dec. 18, 2020, in which Michael T. Flynn, the former national security adviser; Sidney Powell; and Patrick Byrne, a wealthy business executive; proposed extreme plans at Trump to keep him in power, such as seizing voting machines.

There was “a heated and profane clash between this group and President Trump’s White House advisers who traded personal insults, accusations of disloyalty to the President, and challenges to physically fight,” Representative Jamie Raskin said.

”We were asking one simple question as a general matter: Where is the evidence of election fraud?” Cipollone said in videotaped testimony.

Rudy Giuliani said in videotaped testimony he told White House lawyers, “‘You guys are not tough enough.’ Maybe I put it another way, ‘You’re a bunch of p----s.’”

”I think it got to the point where the screaming was completely, completely out there. … What they were proposing I thought was nuts,” White House lawyer Eric Herschmann said in videotaped testimony.

Herschmann said at one point he told someone, “Either come over or sit your f—ing ass back down.”

After the meeting, White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson sent a text message describing the meeting as “unhinged.”

Committee displays executive order drafted by Trump’s outside advisers — 2:01 p.m.

By Martin Finucane, Globe staff

The committee displayed an executive order drafted Dec. 16 by Trump’s outside advisers that directed the secretary of defense to seize voting machines effective immediately.

The plan also called for naming Sidney Powell, a lawyer and conspiracy theorist, as special counsel with power to seize machines and charge people with crimes, Representative Jamie Raskin said.

”I didn’t think she should be appointed to anything,” said Pat Cipollone in videotaped testimony.”

To have the federal government seize voting machines — that’s a terrible idea. That’s not how we do things in the United States. There’s no legal authority to do that.”

Raskin says a meeting preceded Trump’s ‘call to action’ tweet — 1:52 p.m.

By Shannon Larson, Globe staff

Jamie Raskin, a Democrat on the panel who is leading the Tuesday hearing, said a meeting preceded former president Donald Trump’s “call to action” tweet that he sent out on Dec. 19, 2020, and that the panel has spoken with multiple participants in it.

Raskin said a clash broke out at the meeting in the Oval Office that day, adding that both “insults” and threats of a “physical fight” broke out.

Cassidy Hutchinson, a top aide to Mark Meadows, said in a text message that the White House “is unhinged,” in regards to the meeting. She also testified that Meadows’s main goal was to keep “Trump in office.”

Barr testified Trump tried to use DOJ to seize voting machines — 1:46 p.m.

By Shannon Larson, Globe staff

Bill Barr testified that Donald Trump allegedly tried use the Department of Justice to seize voting machines, but Barr told him, “absolutely not.” He added that Trump attempted to appoint Sidney Powell as special counsel.

Despite that, outside advisers to Trump ended up drafting executive orders to seize voting machines anyway.

“To have the federal government seize voting machines, it is a terrible idea. That is not how we do things in the United States,” Pat Cipollone, then-White House counsel, said in his testimony. “I don’t understand why we would tell you why that is a bad thing.”

Multiple people in Trump’s inner circle say there was no widespread election fraud — 1:38 p.m.

By Shannon Larson, Globe staff

Pat Cipollone, former White House counsel to Donald Trump, testified that there was no widespread election fraud and it was his belief that Trump should have conceded. He added that Mark Meadows expressed on multiple occasions that the election was definitively over after Dec. 14, 2020.

Eugene Scalia, a former Trump administration official, also said in his deposition that he called the former president and advised him to acknowledge that Joe Biden had won the election.

Others in the former president’s inner circle, including former White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany and his daughter Ivanka Trump, expressed similar sentiments. Former United States attorney general Bill Barr testified that Trump should have acknowledged the election was over.

Cipollone makes first appearance in video testimony — 1:29 p.m.

By Martin Finucane, Globe staff

Former White House counsel Pat Cipollone made his first appearance in a committee video clip, saying that there was no evidence of election fraud sufficient to undermine the outcome of the election.

”Yes, I agree with that,” he responded when asked about the lack of evidence.

He also said he believed Trump should have conceded.

“I was the White House counsel — some of those decision are political … but if your question is, did I believe he should concede the election at a point in time? Yes, I did,” he said, noting Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell’s remarks accepting the votes of the Electoral College in mid-December.

Man arrested for breaking into Capitol scheduled to testify — 1:24 p.m.

By Bloomberg News

Among the witnesses expected today is a man who was arrested after bragging on social media of breaking into the Capitol on Jan. 6.

Stephen Ayres of Ohio ultimately pleaded guilty to disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, which can carry a year in prison.

An affidavit filed in his case notes that the FBI reviewed a Facebook video of Ayres and two others describing their experiences inside the Capitol. His self-promotion led to his arrest.

“Mainstream media, social media, Democrat party, FISA courts, Chief Justice John Roberts, Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi, etc....all have committed TREASON against a sitting U.S. president! !! All are now put on notice by ‘We The People!’” the affidavit quotes him as saying in the video.

A second witness Tuesday will be a former national media director for the far-right militant group Oath Keepers. Jason Van Tatenhove is expected to give a historical perspective of the group, its patterns, motivations and practices, although he had severed his ties to the group years ago.

Part of hearing will look at Trump’s December ‘call to action’ tweet, Murphy says — 1:19 p.m.

By Shannon Larson, Globe staff

Today’s hearing will focus in part on Trump’s tweet from Dec. 19, 2020, where he urged his supporters to come to Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021.

“This tweet served as a call to action and in some cases as call to arms for many of President Trump’s most loyal supporters,” Representative Stephanie Murphy, a member of the panel and a Democrat from Florida, said.

Cheney outlines what the panel will focus on — 1:14 p.m.

By Shannon Larson, Globe staff

Cheney, the vice chair of the committee, said the panel will show how Trump’s legal team, led by Rudy Giuliani, knew that they lacked sufficient evidence to prove the presidential election had been stolen.

She added that the panel will show how “millions” of Americans were convinced to believe what advisers in Trump’s inner circle did not: that there was widespread fraud.

Trump cannot escape responsibility by being “willfully blind,” Cheney said.

Representative Bennie Thompson, committee chair, begins hearing — 1:02 p.m.

By Shannon Larson, Globe staff

Representative Bennie Thompson, the chairman of the Jan. 6 panel investigating the Capitol insurrection, has begun the committee’s seventh public hearing.

Thompson said former president Donald Trump “seized on the anger he already stoked” among his supporters and urged them to come to Washington. He added the committee will explain Trump’s last-ditch efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.

The hearing is set to start shortly. Watch it live. — 12:51 p.m.

The next Jan. 6 hearing starts at 1 p.m. Watch it live here.

By The Associated Press

The Jan. 6 committee is set to highlight the way violent far-right extremists answered Donald Trump’s “siren call” to come to Washington for a big rally, as some now face rare sedition charges over the deadly US Capitol attack and effort to overturn the 2020 presidential election.

The panel investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol siege convenes Tuesday for a public hearing probing what it calls the final phase of Trump’s multi-pronged effort to halt Joe Biden’s victory. As dozens of lawsuits and false claims of voter fraud fizzled, Trump tweeted the rally invitation, a pivotal moment, the committee said. The far-right Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, and others now facing criminal charges readily answered.

By Christina Prignano and Amanda Kaufman, Globe Staff

The House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection has obtained thousands of text messages relating to top White House officials’ actions in the weeks leading up to when a mob stormed the Capitol in attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

Many of those texts were obtained by news organizations as the committee interviewed witnesses and prepared for the explosive public hearings, the latest of which is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon. Now, they’re being referenced as the committee methodically tries to make the case that former president Donald Trump is responsible for the violence at the Capitol that day.

 

July 8, 2022

 

By The Associated Press

Former White House counsel Pat Cipollone arrived Friday on Capitol Hill for a private interview with the Jan. 6 committee about his role trying to prevent then-President Donald Trump from challenging the 2020 presidential election and joining the violent mob that laid siege to the Capitol.

Cipollone had been a sought-after witness after bombshell testimony revealed his apparently desperate and last-ditch efforts to prevent Trump’s actions. The panel was told he warned the defeated president would be charged with “every crime imaginable” if he went to the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, trying to stop the certification of Joe Biden’s election. He was subpoenaed for his testimony.


For archived live updates from June 22, 2022 and earlier, click here.