House Jan. 6 committee withdraws Trump subpoena

The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021 assault on the Capitol has withdrawn its subpoena of former President Donald Trump, according to a letter from the committee chair to Trump’s attorney and obtained by CBS News.

The withdrawal comes as the committee’s authority to operate comes to a close when the new Republican-controlled Congress begins in January. The New York Times first reported the committee has withdrawn its outstanding subpoenas, an admission that the committee has run out of time to receive its requested information. 

“In light of the imminent end of our investigation, the select committee can no longer pursue the specific information covered by the subpoena,” wrote Rep. Bennie Thompson, the committee chair, in a Tuesday letter to Trump attorney David Warrington. “Therefore, through this letter, I hereby formally withdraw the subpoena issued to former President Trump, and notify you that he is no longer obligated to comply or produce records in response to said subpoena.” 

The committee voted unanimously to subpoena the former president in October for testimony and documents.

Thompson and Rep. Liz Cheney, the committee vice chair, wrote to Trump that they had “assembled overwhelming evidence, including from dozens of your former appointees and staff, that you personally orchestrated and oversaw a multi-part effort to overturn the 2020 presidential election and to obstruct the peaceful transition of power.” 

The former president gave no indication he would comply. Several of Trump’s allies did not comply with subpoenas, and his former campaign strategist Steve Bannon has been tried and convicted of contempt of Congress for refusal to testify before the committee. 

Last week, the committee issued its final report, focusing the blame for the attack on Trump and his allies. The committee has also released numerous transcripts in recent days. The committee has recommended to the Justice Department that Trump face multiple criminal charges, but it’s entirely up to the Justice Department to decide what to do with those recommendations. The panel also recommended criminal charges for John Eastman, Trump’s attorney who promoted an incorrect theory that former Vice President Mike Pence could halt or slow the election certification process. The report also called for banning Trump from public office in the future.