The House Select Committee investigating the last year’s insurrection on the US Capitol has issued subpoenas to three White House officials who worked closely with former President Donald Trump.
Congressman Bennie Thompson, the chairman of the select committee, issued subpoenas to Ross Worthington, former advisor of Trump, Andy Surabian and Arthur Schwartz—Donald Trump Jr.’s aides— the House Select Committee said in a statement.
Worthington had helped draft the former president’s speech for a rally before Trump supporters stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
“The committee is demanding records and testimony from three witnesses involved in planning and preparations for the January 6th rally at the Ellipse, which immediately preceded the violent attack on the Capitol,” the statement said.
The subpoenas have been issued to inquire whether the former president’s speech hinted at White House’s prior knowledge of plans to attack the Capitol.
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In that rally at the Ellipse park area near the White House, Trump told his supporters he would never concede the November 2020 presidential election.
“We have reason to believe the individuals we’ve subpoenaed today have relevant information and we expect them to join the more than 340 individuals who have spoken with the Select Committee,” the panel said.
Hundreds of Trump supporters had stormed to the Capitol in January 2021 to stop the US Congress from certifying his loss to Joe Biden after he falsely claimed that he lost due to electoral fraud.
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Four people died in the hours-long chaos after Trump urged supporters to march to the Capitol and “fight like hell.”
One police officer died that day after battling rioters, and four police officers later died by suicide.
Around 140 police officers were injured. US prosecutors have brought criminal charges against at least 725 people linked to the riot.
(With inputs from agencies)
