Capitol insurrection: Mark Meadows to face criminal contempt

Donald Trump’s former White House chief of staff, Mark Meadows, recently walked back his decision to cooperate with the House Committee investigating the Capitol insurrection. Following his failure to honor the subpoena served to him, Meadows is set to face criminal contempt of Congress.

Meadows is set to face criminal contempt of Congress by the committee after he refused to show up for questioning in compliance with the subpoena issued to him. The former GOP congressman initially agreed to cooperate with the House Committee and has even turned over sets of documents related to January 6. However, Meadows has backtracked his decision and has now refused to cooperate any further with the panel.

“The Select Committee is left with no choice but to advance contempt proceedings and recommend that the body in which Mr. Meadows once served refer him for criminal prosecution,” Committee chair Rep. Bennie Thompson said in a letter.

The panel also criticized Meadows for his refusal to cooperate any further, all the while willing to provide details regarding the events of January 6 in his upcoming book. The former chief of staff to the twice-impeached former president has also tried to cite executive privilege claims, but legal experts say he is not entitled to invoke the claim. Legal experts also noted that because Meadows is publishing a book about his time in the White House, he would have waived claims of privilege already.

Joe Biden has also waived any claims of executive privilege made by his immediate predecessor.

Among the sets of documents that Meadows has turned over to the House Committee include an email with a 38-page PowerPoint presentation titled, “Election Fraud, Foreign Interference & Options for 6 JAN,” according to Thompson. One of the slides explained how the National Guard in every state would be federalized to count “legitimate” paper ballots only. It also details how the US Marshals would be tasked to provide a “protective perimeter around the locations.”

Other recommendations found in the presentation, dated January 5 – the day before the Capitol insurrection – also include declaring a national security emergency. The emergency would render all electronic votes invalid, with NASA astronaut Sid Gutierrez would lead the efforts.