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Jayapal calls on the two groups to “conduct a full investigation” into the activity of the three members of Congress – the Republican representatives. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Mo Brooks of Alabama and Paul Gosar of Arizona – in the lead-up to the insurgency and all refer a potential indictable offense to the Department of Justice.
“This is clear what I believe is a flagrant violation of our ethical standards and our responsibilities as members of Congress. This is what the House Ethics Committee can review,” Jaypal said in a statement. interview with CNN. “But I also think there are other things here that go beyond just serving the House and are federal laws. That is why we asked for the referrals to the Department of Justice.”
The three Republican members have all denied responsibility for causing the riot.
“Representative Jaypal needs to spend more time investigating the insurgency that took place in her own district over the summer and less time trying to connect with the attack on our Capitol that I condemned on several occasions, “Representative Boebert said in a statement to CNN. Incidentally, in a January 18 tweet, Boebert wrote: “All the allegations of my involvement in the January 6 attacks are categorically false. These lies are irresponsible and dangerous.
Brooks, for example, had previously released a lengthy statement explaining what the purpose of his speech was on the day of the rally. He says it was about fighting at the polls and not provoking real violence.
In a January 18 tweet, Boebert wrote: “All the allegations of my involvement in the January 6 attacks are categorically false. These lies are irresponsible and dangerous ”.
Gosar’s denials were less clear. In a tweet that day, he posted a photo of rioters climbing a wall in the Capitol “let’s not get carried away”. He also encouraged those who approached the Capitol to “come back”. However, in subsequent posts on the now defunct Talking social media platform, he referred to the rioters and said “Americans are upset.”
In the days following the murderous insurgency, Democrats were quick to point fingers at some of their fellow Republicans for their close association with former President Donald Trump’s false claims that the election was stolen. . Their critics ranged from accusing their colleagues of playing an indirect role in contributing to violence to others claiming they could be criminally responsible. Representative Mikie Sherrill, a Democrat from New Jersey, said unnamed Republican members were making “reconnaissance” tours of potential insurgents the day before.
Federal officials said they were investigating the possibility that some of those who participated in the riot may have received visits in advance, but stopped before saying lawmakers did so in the the express purpose of helping the rioters prepare to attack the Capitol. .
As investigations into Jan. 6 continue, Jayapal fears his fellow Republicans have not been held accountable for the role they played.
“These three members seem to be emboldened by the fact that there hasn’t really been any accountability for them. There hasn’t been any accountability at all,” she said. “And that is unacceptable I think and that is why I am asking for these inquiries.”
Federal investigators are currently examining communications reports between members of Congress and some of the suspects involved in the January 6 riot. An official told CNN last week that no member of Congress was seen as the target of their investigation, but whether a probable cause was to be discovered. could lead to warrants to learn more about the content of this communication.
According to Jayapal, the Congressional Ethics Office, which is an independent, non-partisan panel, will conduct a review of his claim and have thirty days to see if there is a cause for a full-fledged investigation. If this investigation results in the conclusion that there is substantial reason to believe wrongdoing has been committed, they will submit a recommendation to the House Ethics Committee which will decide on a course of action. In addition, Jayapal is also directly asking the Committee, which is made up of members of Congress, to conduct its own investigation. The Congressional Ethics Office and the House Ethics Committee are not commenting on ongoing investigations.
Jayapal said part of his motivation to seek these inquiries is the continued unease many members have over their own personal safety in the halls of Congress. The House Chamber currently has metal detectors stationed outside every entrance and the security posture throughout the Capitol Campus remains intense with barbed wire fencing patrolled by thousands of National Guard soldiers.
Part of his worry is that the threat to his safety may come from his fellow congressman.
“I always worry about my safety when I’m inside Congress, not just when I’m leaving,” Jaypal said. “And it’s very disturbing. I’ve only been here four years, but I’ve never felt this before. And, and I feel it from my colleagues. I don’t know who my colleagues are with. engage, I don’t know what their role was. And I think that’s part of the reason why these letters are so important. “
Jayapal is not the only Democrat looking at the role his colleagues may have played in the events leading up to January 6. Representative Zoe Lofgren recently published a 2,000-page report describing the social media activity of several GOP members prior to the insurgency.
This story was updated with additional developments on Wednesday.
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