House debates holding Mark Meadows in contempt in Jan. 6 probe
The House on Tuesday debated recommending criminal contempt charges against former White House
Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, after he said he would no longer cooperate with the Jan. 6 Committee investigating the Capitol insurrection.
“Mr. Meadows’ sudden vanishing act is plainly a delay tactic designed to run out the clock on one of the most important investigations in the history of the United States of America,” Rep. Jamie Raskin, a member of the panel, said.
Raskin began the debate by reading frantic texts from the day of the attack revealing members of Congress, Fox News anchors and even President Donald Trump’s son urging Meadows to persuade Trump to act quickly to stop the siege by his supporters.
The committee voted 9-0 Monday night to recommend charges against the former North Carolina congressman who left in March 2020 to become Trump’s chief of staff. Approval by the full House would refer the issue to the Justice Department, which would decide whether to prosecute. It would be the first time the House had voted to hold a former member in contempt since the 1830s, according to the chamber’s records.
Republicans on Tuesday called the action against Meadows a distraction from the House’s work, with one member calling it “evil” and “un-American.”
“The members of the Jan. 6 commission have turned this body into a star chamber, using the powers of Congress to persecute and bankrupt their political opponents,” Rep. Mary Miller of Illinois said.
Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell told reporters merely that “I do think we’re all watching, as you are, what is unfolding on the House side ... and it will be interesting to reveal all the participants who were involved.”
He said he was not in contact with Meadows on the day of the attack.
Democrats quoted at length from Jan. 6 text messages provided by Meadows while he was cooperating with the committee.