January 6 Panel Asks Ivanka Trump for 'Voluntary' Interview
17:35 GMT 20.01.2022 (Updated: 19:49 GMT 20.01.2022)
© REUTERS / Kevin Lamarque
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Set up last July, the House Select Committee on the 6 January Attack has spent months investigating the January 2021 riot at the US Capitol complex, subpoenaing tens of thousands of pages of documents and demanding testimony from dozens of Trump administration officials. The former president has dismissed the probe as a Democratic "witch hunt."
The House Select Committee has sent Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka an eight-page letter urging her to "voluntarily" speak to them about 6 January.
"On 6 January, you were serving as Adviser to the President and head of the White House Office of Economic Initiatives and Entrepreneurship and were present in the West Wing of the White House. We write to request your voluntary cooperation with our investigation on a range of critical topics, including the four specific matters outlined below. We respect your privacy, and our questions will be limited to issues related to 6 January, the activities that contributed to or influenced events on January 6th, and your role in the White House during that period," the letter states.
The "four specific matters" include a line of inquiry into President Trump's alleged effort to "impede the count of certified electoral votes by Congress on 6 January," with the Committee requesting Ivanka Trump's input on possible conversations held by her father on the matter, and asking her to report what she heard and observed in discussions between the president and his senior officials.
Secondly, the Committee wants Ivanka's input on why she and other White House staff didn't "simply ask the President to walk to the briefing room and appear on live television – to ask the crowd to leave the Capitol," with the letter indicating that she has "knowledge bearing directly on the President's actions or inaction on 6 January, and his state of mind as the violent attack occurred at the Capitol."
Thirdly, the Committee requests Ivanka to provide "any information" she may have as to whether the president gave orders to deploy the National Guard or law enforcement personnel to the Capitol.
Finally, the Committee says it wants the president's daughter to give them insights into Trump's "state of mind during that period and whether [he] took appropriate action regarding the continuing threats of violence."
The Committee asks Mrs. Trump if she could meet on 3 or 4 February, or during the week of 7 February.
"A full and accurate accounting of what happened on 6 January is critical to the Select Committee's legislative recommendations. And the American people deserve to understand all the relevant details. Thank you in advance for your consideration of this request," the letter, signed by Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson, concludes.
Shortly after news broke of the panel's move, a spokesperson for Trump's eldest daughter issued remarks to CBS News that did not directly address the committee's request but instead underscored that Ivanka was not a speaker at the January 6 rally.
New- Statement from @IvankaTrump Spokesperson to @CBSNews on January 6th committee request to cooperate w/its inquiry. pic.twitter.com/rSGG2EpgMn
— Fin Gómez (@finnygo) January 20, 2022
'Worst Attack on Our Democracy Since Civil War' or FBI False Flag?
The 6 January Committee has spent months investigating last year's takeover of the seat of US legislative power by a mob of angry Trump supporters convinced that the 2020 election had been "stolen" from their candidate, and seeking to stop Congress's formal rubber-stamping of Joe Biden's victory.
Biden has characterized the Capitol riots as the "worst attack on our democracy since the Civil War," with Vice President Kamala Harris comparing it to 9/11 and Pearl Harbor. The House Panel has threatened to refer the president and members of his staff to the Justice Department for possible criminal prosecution if it finds evidence of criminal wrongdoing.
Trump maintains that he is innocent, and has claimed that the 6 January probe is just the latest element of the "Democratic witch hunt" against him after their failures to nail him with Russiagate, two impeachments, and other attempts to permanently bar him from US politics.
In recent weeks, Trump and other Republicans have asked the FBI to provide clarification into just what role it may have played in the January 6 saga. Last week, Texas Senator Ted Cruz asked the domestic security agency whether FBI informants were present at the riot, and inquired about Ray Epps – an Arizona man who was filmed encouraging Trump supporters gathered in Washington to storm the Capitol but who has not faced prosecution. The FBI stonewalled Cruz during his questioning.
Senator @tedcruz's Full Questioning Of The FBI At Senate Judiciary Hearing Today About Whether There Were FBI Informants Present On January 6th And Ray Epps
— The Columbia Bugle 🇺🇸 (@ColumbiaBugle) January 11, 2022
"How many FBI agents or confidential informants actively participated in the events of January 6th?"
"Who is Ray Epps?" pic.twitter.com/Haufq3kym2
President Trump Demanding Answers About Ray Epps And How Many Federal Informants Were Present At The Capitol On January 6th pic.twitter.com/i4wH7tTf7g
— The Columbia Bugle 🇺🇸 (@ColumbiaBugle) January 16, 2022
