A new House GOP-led effort is underway to revoke subpoenas sent by the House select committee on Jan. 6 to key aides of former President Trump. Reps. Andy Biggs, Thomas Massie, and Eric Burlison have introduced a resolution to rescind subpoenas sent to Steve Bannon, Mark Meadows, Peter Navarro, and Dan Scavino. The resolution would also withdraw the contempt of Congress resolutions filed against each individual for defying those subpoenas. Burlison criticized the committee as being used as a political weapon with the sole focus of taking down Trump and his advisors through the manipulation of facts and silencing of the minority party. Massie has called for Speaker Johnson to bring the resolution to the floor for a vote.
The GOP legislation to revoke the subpoenas has garnered 22 additional co-sponsors beyond the three lawmakers supporting it. Both Bannon and Navarro, former Trump advisors, were sentenced to four months in prison in cases stemming from their contempt referrals by Congress. However, the Department of Justice did not prosecute Meadows or Scavino. Pelosi established the select committee in 2021 in response to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol when Trump supporters stormed the building in protest of his election loss. The initial attempt to create a 9/11-style commission to investigate the riot passed the House but died in the Senate, leading to the creation of the select committee with Pelosi having full power of appointments.
Critics of the panel have labeled it as a partisan exercise due to the contentious appointment process. Pelosi rejected two Trump-allied Republicans nominated by then-Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, leading to accusations of partisanship. One of the co-sponsors of Burlison’s resolution, Rep. Jim Banks, was one of the rejected nominees. The resolution to revoke the subpoenas is seen as a pushback against what Republicans view as an unfair and politically motivated investigation targeting Trump and his advisors. The GOP lawmakers behind the resolution believe that the subpoenas issued by the committee were insufficient and should be rescinded, along with the contempt of Congress referrals against the individuals.
The resolution to rescind the subpoenas and contempt of Congress resolutions is part of ongoing efforts by House Republicans to challenge the legitimacy of the select committee. Massie emphasized the importance of time and called for immediate action on the resolution. The development of the resolution comes after months of partisan disagreements and disputes over the role and scope of the select committee’s investigation into the events of Jan. 6. The inclusion of additional co-sponsors for the resolution highlights a growing opposition within the GOP to the select committee’s actions and its perceived bias against Trump and his allies.
Despite the GOP-led efforts to challenge the select committee’s subpoenas, the Democratic-led panel continues its investigative work into the events of Jan. 6. The resolution to rescind the subpoenas signifies a broader conflict within Congress over the handling of the aftermath of the Capitol riot and the perceived politicization of the investigation. As the resolution gains momentum within the GOP, it remains to be seen how the House will respond to the call to revoke the subpoenas issued by the select committee. The ongoing tensions surrounding the select committee and its investigations reflect deeper partisan divides within Congress and the broader political landscape leading up to the 2022 midterm elections.
