The House select committee tasked with investigating the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol will vote Wednesday evening on holding former Justice Department official Jeffrey Clark in contempt of Congress.
Clark, who was Justice Department civil division acting chief under former President Donald Trump, appeared before the committee in early November and refused to cooperate. Instead, he delivered a letter from his lawyer defending his refusal to testify based on executive and attorney-client privilege.
ALEX JONES AND ROGER STONE SUBPOENAED ALONG WITH THREE OTHERS BY JAN 6 COMMITTEE
The former Justice Department official was a key figure in Trump’s attempts to use the Justice Department to overturn the results of the 2020 election. He proposed to then-acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen that the DOJ inform Georgia and other states of noticing election irregularities and recommending a special legislative session to evaluate them. Rosen, who opposed Clark’s plans, testified to the Senate Judiciary Committee that Trump had planned to fire him and put Clark in his place.
If the House votes to hold him in contempt, Clark will be the second individual to be held in contempt of Congress over refusal to comply with the committee’s investigation, joining former Trump adviser Steve Bannon. Bannon was subsequently indicted by the Justice Department over the contempt charge and pleaded not guilty.
Unlike Clark, Bannon refused to appear before the committee in person at all and was not working for the government on Jan. 6.
Mississippi Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson, chairman of the committee, warned after Clark’s refusal to answer the committee’s questions could result in action being taken against him.
“I have considered Mr. Clark’s claim of privilege and rejected it,” Thompson said in a statement at the time. “He has a very short time to reconsider and cooperate fully. We need the information that he is withholding, and we are willing to take strong measures to hold him accountable to meet his obligation.”
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A federal judge earlier this month ruled that Trump cannot block the Jan. 6 committee from accessing his records based on executive privilege. Trump appealed the ruling.
