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Many of the 11 people linked to the pro-Trump rally that preceded the Jan.6 riot on the U.S. Capitol are expected to comply with the House select committee’s investigation into the insurgency, while other major Trump associates should try to push back the committee. claims, sources with direct knowledge tell ABC News.
Last week, the committee issued 11 subpoenas requesting documents and testimony from organizers and others associated with the pro-Trump rally outside the White House that turned into a march on the U.S. Capitol.
ABC News confirmed that so far the majority of those contacted have engaged in active conversations with the committee. The extent to which they expect to cooperate with the committee’s investigation is unclear.
Lyndon Brentnall, owner of RMS Protective Services, the Florida-based private security company registered on the National Park Service’s permit for the rally, and the only person contacted by the committee to formally respond, told ABC News: “J I intend to comply with the subpoena of the Special House Committee.
“As far as we are concerned, we provided security at a legally authorized event in conjunction with the United States Secret Service and Parks Police,” he told ABC News in a statement. “Our entire security team, their names, phone numbers, have been handed over to the Secret Service for verification.”
As part of their request, the committee asked individuals to provide documents covering the period from November 2020 to present that relate to their communications regarding the organization of the rally, including any documents shedding light on “the involvement of former President Donald Trump in planning, participating in and attending the Ellipse rally. “
The panel also recently subpoenaed Trump’s closest aides and advisers for files and depositions, including former Deputy Chief of Staff and social media guru Dan Scavino, former Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and the Conservative activist Steve Bannon, as well as Kash Patel, who was the acting secretary of defense’s chief of staff on January 6.
Investigators asked all four to respond to their request for documents by midnight on October 7. Sources close to those people expect them to formally reject the requests, although plans were still being finalized on Thursday morning.
Bennie Thompson, the committee chair, has previously ordered Patel and Bannon to appear for closed-door depositions on October 14 and Meadows and Scavino to appear for depositions the next day. Thompson said he would issue criminal referrals to anyone who chose to ignore his deadlines.
In an interview this week with right-wing commentator John Solomon, Trump said he would have no problem with his confidants participating in the investigation and asked why his lawyers are asking him to invoke executive privilege in this case. which concerns their testimony.
“I’m mixed, because we haven’t done anything wrong,” Trump said when asked if he plans to invoke executive privilege and fight some of the subpoenas sent to his top advisers. “So I’m kind of like, ‘Why are we hiring lawyers to do this? I would like everyone to come in and say what you have to say. We haven’t done anything wrong. “
In August, the committee also requested documents from nearly all government agencies and the National Archives, which control White House records.
In the 12-page letter to the National Archives, the committee requested documents relating to more than 30 White House aides, lawyers, Trump family members, and outside advisers, as well as communications, records and visitor logs from the west wing on the day of the Riot at the Capitol.
Following the request, Trump issued a statement calling the investigation a “partisan exercise” which is “carried out at the expense of long-standing legal principles of privilege.”
“The privilege of the executive will be defended,” he said.
It remains unclear whether lawyers for the former president intend to inform the committee whether their client will seek to invoke such a privilege. The select committee declined to comment when contacted by ABC News on Thursday.
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