Biden says those who refuse to comply with subpoenas from January 6 committee should be prosecuted

Joe Biden says Department of Justice should prosecute those who refuse to comply with subpoenas from the January 6 select committee – as Trump aide Steve Bannon faces vote on criminal contempt charges

  • Biden said he hoped the committee goes after anyone who defied subpoenas and when asked if they should be prosecuted by the DOJ, Biden said ‘I do, yes.’
  • On Thursday the committee announced it would move forward with criminal charges after Steve Bannon skipped out on his subpoena to testify
  • Lawmakers think they can win a challenge over executive privilege as Trump is no longer in office and some subpoenaed were not working for him on Jan 6
  • On Monday Biden said he wouldn’t stand in the way of Congress seeking sensitive information on Trump and his aides during January 6


President Biden says he thinks those who refuse to comply with subpoenas from the January 6 select committee should be prosecuted by the Department of Justice.  

Biden made the comment on the White House lawn on Friday before boarding Marine One after being asked by CNN’s Kaitlan Collins what his message was to those who were defying subpoenas from the committee.

‘I hope that the committee goes after them and holds them accountable,’ Biden answered. 

When Collins asked if they should be prosecuted by the DOJ, Biden responded ‘I do, yes.’ 

The committee plans to vote on Tuesday on adopting a contempt of Congress report against Steve Bannon, a longtime adviser to former President Donald Trump who has not complied with the committee’s subpoena. 

If the committee approves the contempt case against Bannon, it would go to a full House vote. From there, the Justice Department and Attorney General Merrick Garland would decide whether to pursue prosecution. 

Biden said he hoped the committee goes after anyone who defied subpoenas and when asked if they should be prosecuted by the DOJ, Biden said ‘I do, yes.’

On Monday Biden said he wouldn't stand in the way of Congress seeking sensitive information on Trump and his aides during January 6

 On Monday Biden said he wouldn’t stand in the way of Congress seeking sensitive information on Trump and his aides during January 6

In response to Biden’s remarks on Friday, a Justice Department spokesperson told ABC News that the department ‘will make its own independent decisions in all prosecutions based solely on the facts and the law.’ 

Biden’s comments come a few days after he said he wouldn’t stand in the way of Congress seeking sensitive information on Trump and his aides during January 6.

The decision is a break from the tradition of allowing past presidents to exercise privacy over their in-office records and is likely among the first steps in a lengthy legal battle when Trump challenges his assertions in court.

Bannon skipped out on his subpoena to testify on Thursday, insisting he would not do so until the matter of former President Trump’s executive privilege is settled.

Rep. Bennie Thompson, chair of the select committee, said in a statement that Bannon was ‘hiding behind insufficient, blanket and vague statements regarding privileges he has purported to invoke.’

‘The Select Committee will not tolerate defiance of our subpoenas, so we must move forward with proceedings to refer Mr. Bannon for criminal contempt.’ 

Lawmakers think they can win a challenge over executive privilege as Trump is no longer in office and some subpoenaed were not working for him on Jan 6

Lawmakers think they can win a challenge over executive privilege as Trump is no longer in office and some subpoenaed were not working for him on Jan 6

On Thursday the committee announced it would move forward with criminal charges after Steve Bannon (pictured with Donald Trump) skipped out on his subpoena to testify

On Thursday the committee announced it would move forward with criminal charges after Steve Bannon (pictured with Donald Trump) skipped out on his subpoena to testify 

President Biden says he thinks those who refuse to comply with subpoenas from the January 6 select committee should be prosecuted by the Department of Justice (AG Garland pictured)

President Biden says he thinks those who refuse to comply with subpoenas from the January 6 select committee should be prosecuted by the Department of Justice (AG Garland pictured)

The panel is scheduled to vote on the criminal referral on Tuesday night, and if charged Bannon faces up to a year in jail or a $100,000 fine.

Lawmakers believe they can win a challenge over executive privilege as Trump is no longer in office and some of those subpoenaed were no longer working for him on January 6.

Trump slammed the news of possible criminal charges.

‘The January 6th Unselect Committee composed of Radical Left Democrats and a few horrible RINO Republicans is looking to hold people in criminal contempt for things relative to the Protest, when in fact they should hold themselves in criminal contempt for cheating in the Election, making up the Fake Russia, Russia, Russia, and Ukraine, Ukraine, Ukraine Scams, the Afghanistan debacle, the Southern Border Crisis, the crashing economy, and record-setting inflation,’ he said.

Meanwhile, former Pentagon aide Kash Patel also skipped out on his scheduled deposition before the committee. Lawmakers had previously said Patel was ‘engaging’ with them.

‘He didn’t show up. He’s continuing to engage,’ Illinois Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger, a member of the panel, told CQ Roll Call. ‘We have a limited threshold of patience for that.’ 

The committee has subpoenaed other officials including former Justice Department official Jeffrey Clark, Trump former chief of staff Mark Meadows, and deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino.

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk