Donald Trump on Tuesday blamed ' cancel culture ' and slammed the special committee investigating the January 6th insurrection at...
Donald Trump on Tuesday blamed 'cancel culture' and slammed the special committee investigating the January 6th insurrection at the Capitol after the panel subpoenaed his longtime adviser Roger Stone and conspirary theorist Alex Jones.
Trump complained the committee is 'feasting' on the January 6th attack on the Capitol by his MAGA supporters and 'refusing to even discuss the root cause of that protest, which was the insurrection that took place during the November 3rd Presidential Election.'
He repeated his false claim the election was rigged and blamed the refusal to discuss the matter on 'cancel culture.' Multiple recounts and lawsuits have confirmed Joe Biden's victory.
'We had a Rigged and Stolen Election in our Country, the proof is voluminous and everywhere, but the Democrats refuse to even mention or discuss it. It’s called Cancel Culture, and until that is done, this Country will never heal!,' the former president said in a statement.
Cancel culture is a modern form of ostracism in which someone is thrust out of social or professional circles after acting or speaking in a questionable or controversial manner.
Donald Trump blamed 'cancel culture' on the special committee investigating January 6th insurrection for not talking about real reason it happened
The House January 6th Committee on Monday subpoenaed Stone and Jones as it probes people who 'helped or had knowledge of the planning and financing' of the 'stop the steal' rally that preceded the Capitol riot.
The pre-Thanksgiving subpoenas came as the panel continues to cast a net to try to bring in witnesses and information, even as former chief White House strategist Steve Bannon battles in court after refusing to comply with an earlier subpoena. The Justice Department indicted Bannon this month after the House voted to hold him in contempt of Congress.
'The Select Committee is seeking information about the rallies and subsequent march to the Capitol that escalated into a violent mob attacking the Capitol and threatening our democracy,' said Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) in a statement. 'We need to know who organized, planned, paid for, and received funds related to those events, as well as what communications organizers had with officials in the White House and Congress. We believe the witnesses we subpoenaed today have relevant information and we expect them to cooperate fully with our effort to get answers for the American people about the violence of January 6th.'
Stone was a prominent figure in the Russia probe during special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. Trump pardoned Stone weeks before he left office after the political trickster was convicted of lying to Congress. He had previously commuted Stone's 40-month prison sentence before he was to report to prison.
The committee noted that Stone was in Washington before the rally, and was photographed with a security detail that included Oath Keepers.
'Before traveling to Washington, Mr. Stone promoted his attendance at the rallies and solicited support to pay for security through the website stopthesteal.org. While in Washington, Mr. Stone reportedly used members of the Oath Keepers as personal security guards, at least one of whom has been indicted for his involvement in the attack on the Capitol. Mr. Stone has made remarks that he was planning to 'lead a march to the Capitol' according to the release.
Jones helped organize the rally by 'facilitating a donation to provide what he described as 'eighty percent' of the funding.'
He spoke at a Jan. 5th rally at Freedom Plaza near the White House.
Members of the Oath Keepers provide security to Roger Stone at a rally the night before groups attacked the U.S. Capitol, in Washington, U.S., January 5, 2021. The select committee that subpoenaed Stone on Monday noted that 'while in Washington, Mr. Stone reportedly used members of the Oath Keepers as personal security guards, at least one of whom has been indicted for his involvement in the attack on the Capitol.
Alex Jones 'has repeatedly promoted unsupported allegations of election fraud, including encouraging individuals to attend the Ellipse rally on January 6th,' according to a release accompanying his subpoena by the Jan. 6th committee
Alex Jones, the Infowars host and conspiracy theorist, speaks to protesters demonstrating against the state's extended stay-at-home order to help slow the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at the Capitol building in Austin, Texas, U.S. April 18, 2020
President Donald Trump spoke at the rally at the Ellipse shortly before the Capitol riot
'Mr. Jones has repeatedly promoted unsupported allegations of election fraud, including encouraging individuals to attend the Ellipse rally on January 6th and implying he had knowledge about the plans of the former President with respect to the rally,' according to the committee.
Jones host the infowars broadcast. This month, he was held liable to family members of victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary school massacre after claiming it was a 'hoax.'
The panel also subpoenaed Trump spokesman Taylor Budowich over efforts to plug the rally, as well as Dustin Stockton, who according to the committee was concerned that the rally was a 'possible danger;' and Jennifer Lawrence, Stockton's fiancee, who helped organize post-election rallies.
Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) announced the subpoenas Monday
The committee is engaged in a court battle with Trump over gaining access to government documents held at the National Archives.
It argued in court Monday the information is critical to preventing future attacks.
Future 'elections are imminent and there could be future attacks on democracy rooted in conduct occurring well before the election,' wrote House Counsel Douglas Letter in court filings with the D.C. Court of Appeals, Yahoo News reported.
'The Select Committee’s task to study and suggest legislation to ensure that January 6 is not repeated, and that our Nation’s democracy is protected from future attacks, is urgent,' he wrote.
A federal District Court judge ruled in the House's favor, but House lawyer agreed to a delay to allow Trump's lawyers to appeal to a three-judge Appeals Court panel, which will hear arguments on Trump's executive privilege assertions.
Stone responded in a statement on his web site: 'I have said time and time again that I had no advance knowledge of the events that took place at the Capitol on that day.' He said he had not yet been served with the subpoena. 'After the subpoena is served and after my counsel reviews the requests, I will make the determination of how I will proceed,' he said.
Jones' lawyer Norman Pattis told NBC News that the 'First Amendment guarantees the right of assembly and the right to petition for redress of grievances. Congress’s attempt to chill ordinary Americans in the exercise of these rights is terrifying.' The lawyer was non-committal on how Jones would respond, saying: 'We will be in touch with Committee staff to determine what our next steps will be.'
Said Stockton and Lawrence: 'We aren’t surprised by that the committee issued us subpoenas and have been expecting them. We are concerned that the timing during the week of Thanksgiving, while most normal business is closed, is further demonstration that this committee is not acting in good faith.'
The committee letter to Stone says he was scheduled to speak at the Jan. 6th rally and solicited donations for it
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