The Committee sets its own agenda and work programme, taking evidence from Ministers, the Heads of the intelligence and security Agencies, senior officials and experts. The Committee is routinely given access to highly classified material in the course of its work.
The panel also voted to refer the case of Donald Trump and his attorney John Eastman to a federal grand jury, saying there is “more than sufficient” evidence that they violated laws outlawing obstruction and conspiracy to defraud the United States. Referrals by Congress are not a guarantee that the Justice Department will prosecute those who are referred, but they can put pressure on the department to take action and may reveal new evidence that prosecutors haven’t accessed yet.
Rep. Elaine Luria moved that the committee favorably report to the House the select committee’s final report, which includes legislative recommendations and criminal referrals. The motion was unanimously adopted, 9-0. Thompson then adjourned the panel, and as lawmakers stood to depart the hearing room, they left to brief applause.
The select committee’s blockbuster public hearings this year sought to tie Trump to the Jan. 6 riot on the Capitol, using recorded testimony from witnesses, never-before-seen video of the day of the riot, and in-person testimony from a witness who was injured by Capitol police during the attack. The committee also sat for interviews with Trump, his campaign staff, then-Vice President Mike Pence’s office, top members of the Justice Department, local and state elections officials and members of the Oath Keepers, who allegedly organized the riot.
During Monday’s hearing, the committee also discussed its findings on an alleged scheme by Trump and his allies to replace electors in seven battleground states won by Democratic nominee Joe Biden with a slate of Trump-backed electors. The committee cited evidence including social media posts, emails and messages that suggest the scheme was motivated by “an overarching pattern of behavior aimed at interfering with the democratic process.” The panel also recommended four Republicans to the House Ethics Committee for punishment for failing to comply with subpoenas. The committee’s final report on its investigation is expected to be filed this week with the clerk of the House and made public later this year, along with non-sensitive transcripts and documents.