House Republicans plan to release their own report to counter that of the January 6th committee’s official findings, which are expected to include criminal referrals for Donald Trump.
The GOP set up their ‘shadow group’ after Leader Kevin McCarthy pulled his picks for the January 6th panel when Speaker Nancy Pelosi refused to seat Rep. Jim Banks and Jim Jordan.
Now this shadow group will release a 100-plus page report focused on security failures at the Capitol on the day of the insurrection and slam the panel as trying to punish the former president for ‘political payback,’ Axios reported.
‘We’re prepared to release it when they release theirs,’ a senior Republican source told the news outlet of their findings.
House Republicans plan to release their own report to counter that of the January 6th committee’s official findings – above (from left to right( key GOP lawamkers Jim Banks, Jim Jordan and Kevin McCarthy
The official House committee holds its last hearing of the year on Monday, where it will release an executive summary of its report. The full report is expected to be released on Wednesday.
Republicans are expected to disband the committee when they take control of the House on January 3rd of next year.
In its Monday hearing, the Democratic-led panel is expected to recommend the Justice Department charge Trump with insurrection; obstruction of an official proceeding; and conspiracy to defraud the United States government.
In contrast, the GOP ‘shadow group’ has focused its attention on the actions of Capitol Police’s ‘negligence,’ trying to give an alternative narrative for the 2021 attack on the Capitol building.
Banks, the leader of the shadow group, said their report will ‘focus on security failures,’ arguing the select committee has ‘never dealt with the serious issues.’
He accused the committee of focusing on Trump as ‘all about political payback.’
The shadow group is made up of would-be members of the House select committee to investigate the origins of the January 6th insurrection.
Pelosi refused to seat Banks and Jordan when the panel was formed in July 2021, citing their objection to President Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory.
McCarthy withdrew his slate of five picks in response and those five formed their own ‘shadow group.’
Pelosi, meanwhile, appointed Republican Reps. Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger – two longtime Trump critics – to the committee.
In addition to the charges against Trump, the panel also will accuse lawyers John Eastman and Kenneth Chesebro of being involved in the conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election, NPR reported.
There could be referrals for fewer than a dozen people including Trump, with the panel’s Democrat Chairman Bennie Thompson suggesting the final report could be 1,000 pages long.
The January 6th committee will urge the Justice Department to pursue at least three criminal charges against Donald Trump
The panel, which is made up of seven Democrats and two Republicans, will meet for the last time Monday. Pictured: Chair of the committee Bennie Thompson (left) and vice Chair Liz Cheney (right)
Democrats created the committee to look into the origins of the January 6th insurrection
The panel’s recommendation for charges against Trump will likely create a political firestorm. Trump has already announced he is seeking another term in the White House in the 2024 election and has long complained he is facing political retribution from rivals.
Even some Republicans say he should not be a target while a candidate for office.
Trump has slammed the committee’s work and called its members ‘political thugs.’
The Justice Department is already investigating Trump on the matter of documents discovered at his Mar-a-Lago home, many of which were reported to be classified. He brought them with him from the White House, which is a violation of the Presidential Records Act.
An October report said prosecutors at the DoJ believe ‘there is sufficient evidence’ to charge Trump in that area but the group ‘has not made a formal recommendation’ to Attorney General Merrick Garland, who has ultimate approval.
Garland would have to approve an additional investigation or charges.
The committee’s recommendations have no legal weight and Garland is not required to consider them when making any decisions.
The January 6th committee, created by Democrats to study the origins of the riot that interrupted the certification of the 2020 presidential election, is wrapping up its work before Congress adjourns.
Officials, in its 17 months of investigation, collected more than 140,000 documents, and conducted more than 1,000 interviews with Trump aides, rioters and officials who they claim were directly or indirectly involved in the riot.
Monday’s final hearing will be its 10th.
