The commission has won two major victories in recent days: more than six hours of testimony from Donald Trump’s son-in-law and adviser Jared Kouchner, and a federal judge ruling that the former president may have committed crimes to overthrow the 2020 election. The committee members believe that Kouchner’s cooperation could push other Trump officials to assist in the investigation as the commission draws closer to Trump’s inner circle and the former president himself, according to sources familiar with the matter. The panel was also reinforced by a federal court ruling that said Trump “probably but not” violated the law on Jan. 6, confirming the purpose of the investigation and making it harder for Trump’s allies to defy the investigation, sources said. And the members of the selection committee believe that the beginning of the contempt of the congressional proceedings against Trump aides, Peter Navarro and Dan Scavino, because they ignored their calls, will strengthen the message that the committee will punish the non-compliance, the sources said. “There is a momentum in this process when there is cooperation,” said Jamie Ruskin, one of the panel members, referring to the recent boom. “When people see that others are doing the right thing, it gives them the courage to do the right thing.” The selection committee has now made more than 800 submissions and interviews, received nearly 90,000 documents and followed up on more than 435 tips it has received through its advice line on its website since it began its work in earnest last August. The House’s investigators also have more than 100 testimonies in the program, the sources said, including one with a key witness expected to reveal links between the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys militia and the Capitol attack. Trump supporters clash with police and security forces as they invade the US Capitol in Washington on January 6, 2021. Photo: Olivier Douliery / AFP / Getty Images This filing – scheduled for April 5 – would represent another major breakthrough and could play a big role in determining whether the commission oversaw a criminal conspiracy in its efforts to overthrow the 2020 election. It’s so important, the sources said, as it could be part of the evidence linking the militant groups that invaded the Capitol to the organizers of the rallies that immediately preceded the attack – who in turn are slowly being linked to the White House. Trump House. But that testimony has been in the books for several weeks, and the biggest challenge for the select committee remains to resolve ongoing collusion talks with Rudy Giuliani, Trump’s former lawyer, and Ivanka Trump, the former president’s daughter. The select committee is particularly interested in Giuliani as he was in close contact with Trump as he oversaw the implementation of the plan to stop then-Vice President Mike Pence from certifying Joe Biden’s election victory and bring Trump back to power. The Guardian initially reported that Giuliani was ready to cooperate with the investigation and reveal the roles played by Republican members of Congress with reservations – such as not discussing matters covered by executive privileges – that have not yet been resolved. House investigators have also identified Ivanka Trump as a key figure, as she appeared to have learned before Jan. 6 that Pence’s plan to suspend certification was illegal – but it may also shed light on why the former president still went so far as to plan . The testimony that Trump knew what he was pressuring Pence to do was illegal – and when he knew it – is a central question for the commission as it seeks to determine whether Trump’s actions should justify referring a criminal to the Justice Department. The panel also noted privately in recent days that Ivanka Trump may be able to shed light on who Trump was calling from the White House as the Capitol attack unfolded, as call records from that day showed a gap of nearly eight. hours in communications. The Guardian revealed at least one of Trump’s January 6 phone calls – when he called Republican Sen. Mike Lee trying to reach out to Sen. Tommy Tamberville – was channeled through an official White House phone and should not have been on the call log. . As the selection committee moves towards the completion of the evidence-gathering phase of the investigation, its members hope that the recent momentum will take the investigation to a public hearing which is now expected to begin in mid-May. The panel remains undecided on whether to seek the cooperation of Ginny Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, after the Washington Post and CBS reported that they pressured former Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows to overturn the 2020 election. The issue’s focus is on the fact that many members of the jury were unaware of Thomas’s texts – handed down by Mendous months ago – until news outlets brought them to the public’s attention, according to two sources familiar with the matter. Some members wanted to call her to ask about the texts, but others who had discussed the issue months ago disapproved, arguing that Thomas, a far-right activist, was unlikely to help the commission and would try to turn the investigation into a political one. circus. A committee representative did not respond to a request for comment. The selection committee may still ask for Thomas’s co-operation, but House investigators are seeking myriad lines of inquiry, and whether they will ask for her voluntary assistance or documents and a summons is only one part, sources said.
