Posted on 10/21/2021 9:29:24 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy pushed back on the House Select Jan. 6 Committee’s subpoena issued to former top Trump political strategist Steve Bannon, describing it as “invalid” during remarks to reporters on Wednesday.
“Issuing invalid subpoena weakens our power, not if somebody votes against it,” McCarthy said at a press conference.
Earlier this month, Bannon was among four former Trump administration officials targeted by the Democrat-controlled committee for subpoenas to provide testimony regarding their alleged actions on the day of the riot. Through an attorney, Bannon informed the committee he would not respond to his subpoena because he is awaiting the outcome of a federal lawsuit filed by his former boss, Donald Trump, who is exerting executive privilege in pushback on the committee’s demand for testimony and documents from his administration.
At the time, CNN reported that efforts by the committee to hold Bannon in criminal contempt if he refused to appear could backfire:
The panel is determined to use every method possible to find the truth about the lead-up to a pro-Trump mob storming the Capitol on January 6. But the committee’s efforts may also end up emphasizing a dark truth revealed by Trump’s time in power — and highlighting the increasing threat for the future, too — as Trump relentlessly attacks US democratic institutions ahead of a possible 2024 White House bid.
Attempts to hold the former President’s inner circle accountable often fall short and end up having the unintended effect of further politicizing the vital institutions of government. This committee’s effort will face exactly the same kind of obstruction and intransigence as previous investigations of the former commander in chief meant to subject him to the checks and balances of the US constitutional system.
Nevertheless, the committed voted to hold him in contempt, moving the issue to the full House, which Democrats also control.
Bannon “appears to have had multiple roles relevant to this investigation, including his role in constructing and participating in the ‘stop the steal’ public relations effort that motivated the attack” and “his efforts to plan political and other activity in advance of January 6th,” the committee claimed in its resolution.
“Mr. Bannon’s and Mr. Trump’s privilege arguments do, however, appear to reveal one thing: They suggest that President Trump was personally involved in the planning and execution of Jan. 6. And this committee will get to the bottom of that,” said committee co-chair Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, a noted Trump critic and one of just two Republicans on the panel.
The committee’s chairman, Rep. Bennie Thompson, a Mississippi Democrat, noted Tuesday that Bannon “stands alone in his complete defiance of our subpoena” and that his panel will continue to compel his testimony.
He added that while Bannon may be “willing to be a martyr to the disgraceful cause of whitewashing what happened on January 6th — of demonstrating his complete loyalty to the former President,” the decision to hold him in contempt should be seen as a warning to other potential witnesses.
“We won’t be deterred. We won’t be distracted. And we won’t be delayed,” Thompson added.
But McCarthy pushed back on Thursday, saying that it’s not clear if the committee has the power to compel testimony over a claim of executive privilege.
And he said Bannon “has the right to go to the court to see if he has the executive privilege or not.”
“I don’t know if he does or not, but neither does the committee,” McCarthy noted. “So, they’re weakening the power of Congress itself by issuing invalid subpoenas.”
Asked why he believes the subpoena may be invalid, McCarthy responded that the minority was not permitted to participate in the select committee.
“They are using this to target their opponents,” McCarthy noted.
Didn’t Eric Holder do the same thing?
RE: Didn’t Eric Holder do the same thing?
And Eric Holder was held in contempt of Congress.
Then what?
Exactly what does being held in “Contempt of Congress” do to a person other than in effect, to tell him/her, you’ve been a bad boy/girl ( see Lois Lerner as another example ) ?
Democrats lie, Bannon had nothing to do with the protests on January 6th.
The Rats are desperate for arbitrary sensationalism to protect the narrative of the staged “siege”.
#ing Rats.
Steve had a hard time keeping silent and not laughing about it when teased by Boris about it on his 5 pm show earlier.
Invalid? Does he mean Joe Biden?
And the continuing lawfare harassment of President Trump? Yea or nay on that, McCarthy?
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