GOP members who rebuffed Jan. 6 panel may face referral to ethics panel
by Rebecca Beitsch - 12/11/22 6:00 AM ET
The five GOP members of the House who flouted subpoenas from the Jan. 6 committee may not be included in the panel’s criminal referrals but could see the matter punted to the Ethics Committee.
Lawmakers on the panel suggested that the Constitution ties their hands when it comes to recommending prosecution for the group.
But the committee can refer the matter within the House, which has its own processes for addressing the behavior of its members.
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), a constitutional law expert and chairman of the panel subcommittee tasked with responding to the five members, pointed to a specific clause limiting the penalizing of lawmakers for actions they take through the course of their job.
“The Speech or Debate Clause makes it clear that Congress doesn’t hold members of Congress accountable in the judiciary or other places in the government,” Raskin said.
“Members of Congress are only held accountable through Article One in their own chambers for their actions.”
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https://thehill.com/homenews/house/3769283-gop-members-who-rebuffed-jan-6-panel-may-face-referral-to-ethics-panel/