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u.s. news Diasabra 28 Mei 2022

McCarthy, GOP lawmakers escalate standoff with Jan. 6 panel

By FARNOUSH AMIRI GOP members, but all re-
and MARY CLARE fused to speak with the panel,
JALONICK which debated for months
Associated Press whether to issue the subpoe-
WASHINGTON (AP) — nas.
Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy and the others
McCarthy is making it clear were summoned to testify
that he will likely defy a in front of investigators this
subpoena from the House week and next week. McCar-
committee investigating the thy, who aspires to be House
Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack, speaker if Republicans take
escalating a standoff with over the majority next year,
the panel over his and other indicated that the commit-
GOP lawmakers' testimony. tee's decision will have a last-
In an 11-page letter to the ing impact.
panel Friday, an attorney for "Every representative in the
McCarthy argued that the minority would be subject
select committee does not to compelled interrogations
have the authority to issue by the majority, under oath,
subpoenas to the lawmakers without any foundation of
under House rules and de- fairness, and at the expense
manded answers to a series of of taxpayers," he wrote in the
questions and documents if ings and urged the White the California lawmaker the worst attack on the Capi- op-ed.
his client were to comply. House to try to overturn the wrote Thursday in an op-ed tol in two centuries. In a separate move, McCar-
Attorney Elliot Berke re- 2020 presidential results. in The Wall Street Journal "I have no relevant informa- thy and the No. 2 House
quested a list of "topics that McCarthy has acknowledged with GOP Rep. Jim Jordan tion that would advance any Republican, Louisiana Rep.
the Select Committee would he spoke with Trump on Jan. of Ohio. legitimate legislative pur- Steve Scalise, filed a court
like to discuss with the Lead- 6 as Trump's supporters were The committee now must pose," Jordan said in a letter brief in support of Donald
er, and the constitutional and beating police outside the decide whether to enforce the detailing his reasons for not Trump ally Steve Bannon,
legal rationale justifying the Capitol and forcing their way subpoenas even as it looks to cooperating. The others in- who is facing criminal con-
request." into the building. But he has wrap up the investigation and dicated after the subpoenas tempt charges for defying a
"I expressly reserve Leader not shared many details. The prepare for a series of pub- were issued that they too subpoena from the commit-
McCarthy's right to assert committee requested infor- lic hearings in early June. It would not cooperate. tee. In the brief, lawyers for
any other applicable privi- mation about his conversa- could refer the lawmakers to Perry's lawyer sent the com- the two write that the com-
lege or objection to the Se- tions with Trump "before, the House ethics committee mittee a letter earlier this mittee does not have the au-
lect Committee's subpoena," during and after" the riot. or take steps to hold them in week saying he could "not thority to issue subpoenas,
Berke wrote. His apparent defiance pres- contempt. in good conscience comply" an argument that has been
The House panel believes ents a new challenge for the The subpoenas were issued with the subpoena because dismissed in other court pro-
testimony from the Repub- committee after lawmakers to McCarthy, Jordan, and he does not believe it is valid ceedings.
lican lawmakers is crucial to decided to take the extraordi- Reps. Scott Perry of Pennsyl- under House rules. The lawyers also wrote that
their investigation as each nary and politically risky step vania, Andy Biggs of Arizona Requests for comment from McCarthy and Scalise filed
of the men was in contact of subpoenaing their own and Mo Brooks of Alabama Biggs and Brooks were not the brief "out of concern
with then-President Donald colleagues. in mid-May. The panel has immediately returned. for the potential damage to
Trump and his allies in the "For House Republican lead- already interviewed more The panel had previously House institutional" rules
weeks and days leading up ers to agree to participate in than 1,000 witnesses and asked for voluntary coopera- and order.
to the Capitol insurrection. this political stunt would collected more than 100,000 tion from the five lawmakers,
Some participated in meet- change the House forever," documents as it investigates along with a handful of other

Biden tells Naval Academy grads Putin 'NATO-ized Europe'

By ZEKE MILLER international order," adding, beyond." alma mater. He also paid tribute for for-
Associated Press "that's the world you're grad- "These longstanding mari- The president opened his mer Republican Sen. John
ANNAPOLIS, Maryland uating into." time principles are the bed- speech by paying tribute to McCain, who is interred on
(AP) — President Joe Biden "The actions taken by Putin rock of a global economy and the class of 2022's resilience the grounds of the academy,
told Naval Academy gradu- were an attempt, to use my of global stability," he said. in the face of the COVID-19 saying, "Being here I can't
ates Friday that they will be phrase, to Finland-ize all of "You're going to help knit to- pandemic and with a custom- help think of John and how
"representatives and defend- Europe, to make it all neu- gether our allies in Europe ary pardoning of any minor the naval academy meant so
ers of our democracy," as free tral," Biden said. "Instead, he with our allies in the Indo- infractions made by midship- much to him."
societies are under threat NATO-ized all of Europe." Pacific." men during their time in the
from Russia's invasion of Biden told graduates that Biden did not address two academy.
Ukraine to China's maritime while they will learn to fly mass shootings in as many
expansion. the most advanced planes, weeks in his remarks. He,
Delivering a commencement staff cutting-edge ships and along with first lady Jill
address to more than 1,000 utilize novel technologies, Biden, will visit Uvalde,
newly commissioned ensigns "The most powerful tool Texas on Sunday to console
and second lieutenants at that you'll wield is our un- grieving families after Tues-
Navy-Marine Corps Memo- matched network of global day's shooting at an elemen-
rial Stadium, Biden said the alliances and the strength of tary school that killed 19 chil-
Western response to Rus- our partnerships." dren and two teachers, the
sian President Vladimir Pu- The president told gradu- White House said.
tin's "brutal" war in Ukraine ates that they will "defend Biden's remarks to the Na-
shows the world is aligning the international rules of val Academy marked his
not on geography, "but in the road," particularly in the first commencement address
terms of values." Indo-Pacific region where of the year. He is also set to
He called the invasion, "A they will be called on to "en- deliver remarks at Saturday's
direct assault on the funda- sure freedom of navigation graduation ceremony at the
mental tenets of rules-based in the South China Sea and University of Delaware, his