On Thursday, the co-chairs of the Jan. 6 committee confirmed that the investigation into the Capitol Hill riots would continue through the summer. It was announced that a second round of questioning would take place in September as more witnesses come forward. The statement was made Thursday at the beginning of the hearing by Congresswoman Bennie Thompson, the committee chair, and co-chair Liz Cheney.
Mr Thompson said: “We will meet again in September to continue explaining our findings to the American people.”
Representative Liz Cheney added: “Our committee will spend August gathering and aggregating information on multiple fronts before meeting in September.”
Ms Cheney followed up the announcement of further hearings by saying: “During these hearings, we have received new evidence and new witnesses have come forward boldly.
“Efforts to litigate and overcome claims to immunity and executive privilege have been successful and continue.”
She continued: “Doors have been opened, new subpoenas have been issued and the dam has begun to break.
“And now, even as we have our ninth hearing, we have significantly more to do.”
Mr Thompson’s opening speech was given via video link after he contracted the coronavirus.
During his statement, he accused former President Donald Trump of inaction as the violence continued in the Capitol.
Thompson said: “Donald Trump ignored and ignored the desperate pleas of his own family, including Ivanka and Don Jr.
He couldn’t be moved to get up from his dining table and walk the few steps down the hallway from the White House to the press room, where cameras waited anxiously and desperately to deliver his message to the armed and violent mob. who savagely beat and murdered. law enforcement officers defending the Capitol.”
A total of four police officers were killed in the violence at the Capitol.
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Congresswoman Elain Luria concluded the first half of the hearing, saying, “Instead of upholding his duty to the Constitution, President Trump allowed the mob to achieve the delay he hoped would keep him in power. “
White House counsel Pat Cipollone only recently agreed to testify and describe the moment the Capitol was attacked, and urged the president to hold a press conference to address the American people.
Cipollone told Trump: “People need to be told there needs to be a public announcement that they need to leave the Capitol.”
He added, “I can’t think of anyone on that day who didn’t want people to leave the Capitol.”
Mr. Cipollone appeared to be appealing to administrative law when asked what the president wanted after reports demanding that his associates take him to the Capitol.
The committee then played a video of Senator Josh Hawley fleeing when rioters entered the Capitol Building after an earlier photo of the Senator holding up his fist in support of the riot.
According to reports, there was audible laughter during the hearing after the senator’s video played as he was the first senator to announce that he would object to verifying the election.