Mark Meadows: Panel wants to bring Trump’s ex-chief of staff to court

Storming of the US Capitol
Trump’s ex-chief of staff Mark Meadows is on trial – because he refuses to cooperate with the committee

Mark Meadows had said last week that he did not want to work with the House of Representatives Committee of Inquiry

© Olivier Douliery

The storming of the US Capitol was seen as an attack on democracy. The search for those responsible turns out to be difficult – also because Mark Meadows, Trump’s chief of staff at the time, opposes cooperation with the committee of inquiry.

The storming of the US Capitol on January 6, 2021 shook the United States. The committee to deal with the attack has now paved the way for criminal proceedings against the then President Donald Trump’s chief of staff. The panel unanimously adopted a report on Monday evening (local time) accusing Mark Meadow of disregard for Congress.

The next step is for the House of Representatives to vote. The Democrats of incumbent US President Joe Biden have a slim majority there. If the MPs should agree to the committee vote, the case would go to the Justice Department, which could ultimately indict Meadows.

Trump’s junior reportedly begged his father to act

Meadows is considered an important witness. He was in a “unique position to provide vital information about the events of January 6, 2021,” the report said. Rep. Liz Cheney said at the hearing, citing voice messages Meadows had made available to the committee, he had received numerous appeals at the time of the storming of the Capitol to get the president to intervene.

In addition to prominent presenters of the conservative broadcaster Fox News, a son of the President, Donald Trump Junior, implored him to act. “He has to condemn this shit. Immediately,” wrote the younger Trump to Meadows. More messages followed in which the son wrote, among other things, that the president must immediately appear in front of the cameras and address the nation. “It went too far and got out of control,” Trump Junior wrote on. Republican Cheney commented, “But hours passed without the President taking any action.”

Meadows allegedly instructed the National Guard to “protect pro-Trump people”

Supporters of Trump stormed the seat of the US Congress in Washington on January 6th. Five people were killed, including a police officer. The attack on the heart of US democracy, in which many MPs and senators feared for their lives, shook the United States. Trump had to face impeachment proceedings because of the attack because he had previously incited his supporters in a speech. In the end, however, he was acquitted.

In the 51-page report, the committee now sets out several questions for Meadows. These are based, among other things, on thousands of pages of documents, including e-mails and SMS messages, that Meadows submitted to the committee. The MPs wanted to know more about an email from the 62-year-old saying that the National Guard would be present on January 6th to “protect pro-Trump people”. Meadows also reportedly exchanged messages with an organizer of the January 6 rally and provided him with advice.

Meadows refuses to testify again – and cannot be forced

Meadows had said last week that he didn’t want to work with the House of Representatives Committee of Inquiry. He had previously disregarded an initial summons from the panel, whereupon the committee threatened him with criminal action. At the end of November, Meadows finally submitted documents, emails and text messages to the committee and announced that he would appear for an interview. Finally he made another U-turn and did not appear. Meadow’s attorney argues that the information requested by the committee may be confidential and that Meadows, a former senior employee of the president, cannot be compelled to testify.

With a similar argument, Trump’s former chief strategist Steve Bannon had opposed cooperation with the panel. He was then accused of disregarding Congress by the House of Representatives. Bannon has been charged by the Justice Department and is now on trial.

yks
dpa

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