WASHINGTON —
At the fifth public session of the commission investigating the Jan. 6 attack on Congress, former President Trump’s pressure on then Justice Department officials to remain in power was on the agenda. A former official who testified at the hearing said in a phone call that Trump told then-Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen, “Just tell me there was an election irregularity and leave the rest to me.”
Former Justice Department officials heard at the meeting said Trump called the department’s top official almost daily to continue his allegations of election irregularities.
Three Justice Department officials during the Trump administration said in their statements at the meeting that Trump insisted, despite saying the allegations of irregularity were unfounded.
Richard Donoghue, a former Justice Department official who was heard at the hearing, said: “I examined their claims one by one, but no, they were not true.”
“Trump called almost every day”
Another witness who testified at today’s hearing was Jeffrey Rosen, who was acting attorney general in the final days of the Trump administration.
Rosen noted that Trump has been calling or meeting with him every day since he took office in late December, and the common point of those conversations is Trump’s dissatisfaction with the Justice Department’s actions in investigating allegations of voting irregularities.
In his written statement, Rosen said: “Some have alleged to the former President and to the public that the election was stolen.
Trump: ‘Tell me there was an election irregularity and leave the rest to me’
Former Justice Department official Richard Donoghue, who testified at the meeting, said they resisted Trump pressuring them and warned that pressure on Department officials could result in quick resignations would.
Who would that be good for? Would it be good for the ministry? Will it be good for the country? will it do you any good No way,” he said.
According to records Donoghue made and released last year, in a phone call with then-Attorney General Rosen, Trump said, “Just tell me there was an election irregularity and leave the rest to me and the Republican congressmen.” .”
“It has triggered a constitutional crisis”
Today’s meeting dealt with a letter from former Justice Department official Jeffrey Clark alleging that the Department has concerns about some state election results.
However, then-Attorney General William Barr said they had no evidence there had been an irregularity that could change the outcome of the election, and the Department stated that it had no evidence of an election irregularity.
Richard Donoghue, who testified at the hearing, said he read the letter twice to ensure he understood it correctly and said: “The Department’s interference in the political process in this way would have very serious implications for the country and would likely create a constitutional crisis”.
Search of the home of a former Justice Department official
It is said that the Virginia home of Jeffrey Clark, whose name is also on the agenda for today’s meeting, was searched by federal authorities yesterday.
The search is linked to efforts to change the results of the 2020 presidential election, the US press reports, an hour before the start of the session in Congress.
An employee also confirmed that the home of the former Justice Department official had been searched. The clerk said FBI agents took Clark out of his Virginia home in his pajamas early that morning and confiscated his electronics.
“Trump has convinced many that he can annul the election result”
Responding to journalists’ questions after the commission meeting, Republican member Adam Kinzinger said he had convinced many people that Donald Trump could change the election results, noting that this was the main issue that needed to be addressed. Kinzinger, one of the two Republican members of the commission, was asked what kind of sanctions could be imposed on his party members if he was involved in the Jan. 6 raid. Kinzinger, who didn’t answer the question directly, said the solution was “going back to the voters,” continuing, “The only thing that keeps democracy alive is believing that your votes will be counted — whether you win or not.” lose.” We’ve seen violence because of that. Trump has also convinced a significant number of people that there are ways to annul the results of an election, including the Justice Department. Our Commission, made up of Democrats and Republicans, promotes democracy “can work together to protect it.”
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