Watch: GOP complaints about Jan. 6 subpoenas get destroyed by impeachment counsel
The lead majority counsel during Donald Trump's first impeachment hearing debunked Republican complaints after the House Select Committee Investigating the Jan. 6 Attack on the U.S. Capitol subpoenaed five GOP members of Congress on Thursday.
The select committee subpoenaed House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) along with Reps. Scott Perry (R-PA), Jim Jordan (R-OH), Andy Biggs (R-AZ), and Mo Brooks (R-AL).
Select Committee Chairman Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) said, "regrettably, the individuals receiving subpoenas today have refused and we’re forced to take this step to help ensure the committee uncovers facts concerning January 6th. We urge our colleagues to comply with the law, do their patriotic duty, and cooperate with our investigation as hundreds of other witnesses have done.”
On MSNBC, "Deadline: White House" host Nicolle Wallace interviewed former federal prosecutor and impeachment counsel Daniel Goldman.
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"So the only response from these five Republicans — they're all men — congressmen, has been to call the probe itself illegitimate. The problem with that is it's a talking point, I suppose, but it's not a legitimate argument if you will and the investigation itself has been before countless judges now who have deemed it completely legitimate," noted Wallace.
"Where do they go other than a talking point objection?" she asked.
"Oh, they don't have anywhere else to go," Goldman replied.
"They have their own right-wing ecosphere which will play that up, but it is completely baseless and there are a couple of components to this," he explained. "First of all, a number of judges have found that this is a lawfully and duly authorized committee and so their subpoenas are valid — so that argument is out the window."
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"But think about this," he continued. "First of all, it's pretty remarkable that you would have five — and there are actually more — congressmen who refuse to voluntarily give information to another committee of their own body, but it is even more ridiculous for them to defy subpoenas from their own body, they are undermining their own authority going forward by defying these subpoenas."
"And we know they've made a lot of threats including to Congressman [Eric] Swalwell (D-CA) about how they're going to investigate all of the Democrats if they are given subpoenas," Goldman said. "One, first of all, I say bring it on. There's a lot more bluster and puffery from the Republican side than there is actual substance, when it gets to the substance, they don't have anywhere to go because it is all bogus. But two, is that -- how are you going to enforce subpoenas if you have just defied them?"
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