McCarthy questions Jan. 6 panel’s legitimacy in response to subpoena
by Emily Brooks and Harper Neidig - 05/27/22 4:16 PM ET
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) responded to a subpoena from the House Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack in a letter from his lawyer on Friday that questioned the panel’s legitimacy and requested more information from the panel.
“All valid and lawfully issued subpoenas must be respected and honored. Unfortunately, the words and actions of the Select Committee and its members have made it clear that it is not exercising a valid or lawful use of Congress’ subpoena power,” McCarthy lawyer Elliot S. Berke said in an an 11-page letter.
Much of the letter went through longtime GOP arguments that the committee is not acting with legitimate authority, in part because none of the sitting members were appointed by the minority leader.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) rejected two of McCarthy’s initial picks for the committee, prompting McCarthy to pull his other three recommendations and refuse to make any more picks. It also argued that it is “difficult to fathom” how the committee is fulfilling any legislative purpose with its subpoena.
Berke asked for the committee to provide a list of topics that it wants to discuss with McCarthy and copies of documents it wants to ask McCarthy about.
more
https://thehill.com/news/house/3504397-mccarthy-questions-jan-6-panels-legitimacy-in-response-to-subpoena/
