‘Why Did You Do That Knowing That Nothing Will Come of That?’: CNN’s Brianna Keilar Grills Jan. 6 Committee Member Zoe Lofgren
CNN’s Brianna Keilar questioned Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) over the Jan 6. committee’s decision not to refer four House Republicans who defied its subpoenas for criminal prosecution.
Those members are House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), and Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA). The panel referred their cases to the House Ethics Committee less than two weeks before Republicans retake the House, where McCarthy is expected to be elected speaker.
The committee previously referred others who defied subpoenas to the Department of Justice, recommending they be charged with contempt. Donald Trump ally Steve Bannon, for instance, was found guilty and sentenced to four months in prison.
On CNN Thursday, Keilar asked Lofgren, a member of the Jan. 6 committee, what makes her think the House Ethics Committee will act on the referrals.
“Your committee made the decision to refer four Republican members of Congress who defied congressional subpoenas to the Ethics Committee instead of to the Department of Justice,” Keilar noted. “Why did you do that knowing that nothing will come of that?”
“I’d like to think that something will come of it,” Lofgren replied. “I chaired the Ethics Committee at one time. And we actually took action against Democratic members who violated the rules because the Ethics Committee is supposed to be beyond partisanship–”
“You’re talking about Charlie Rangel,” Keilar interrupted. “You oversaw his trial–”
“And others,” Lofgren shot back.
“But you did that as a member of the party of the person who was being rebuked,” Keilar pressed on. “And you know Republicans are not going to do that. So, the effect of sending this referral to the Ethics Committee is for it to die in that committee. Why do that?”
“Well, we’ll see,” Lofgren responded. “The Ethics Committee is evenly divided. Five Democrats, five Republicans. And they are supposed to act without regard to party. And when I chaired the committee, that’s what we did. And I would like to believe that that pattern which is in the House rules will be followed. If it isn’t, shame on them.”
Keiler asked why the Jan. 6 committee declined to refer the four lawmakers to the Department of Justice.
“On the Ethics Committee, I don’t know of anyone – I haven’t found anyone – who seriously believes the Republicans on that committee are going to do anything to rebuke those four Republicans who have referred,” Keilar stated. “So why not refer them to the DOJ? The committee didn’t have a problem doing that with Steve Bannon.”
“We arrived at the conclusion that we should take the responsibility for enforcing against our own members,” Lofgren answered. “Now, you know, maybe it’s true, maybe the members of the Ethics Committee who are Republican don’t have honor. I’ve never said that. And we’ll find out. But if they can’t act, then I think we’ve got to really think about the whole Ethics Committee milieu.”
Lofgren said if the Ethics Committee doesn’t act, members of Congress may consider a subpoena a mere “suggestion.”
Watch above via CNN.
