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U.S. NEWS Saturday 28 May 2022
McCarthy, GOP lawmakers escalate standoff with Jan. 6 panel

By FARNOUSH AMIRI and would change the House
MARY CLARE JALONICK forever," the California law-
Associated Press maker wrote Thursday in
WASHINGTON (AP) — Re- an op-ed in The Wall Street
publican Leader Kevin Mc- Journal with GOP Rep. Jim
Carthy is making it clear Jordan of Ohio.
that he will likely defy a The committee now must
subpoena from the House decide whether to en-
committee investigating force the subpoenas even
the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol at- as it looks to wrap up the
tack, escalating a standoff investigation and prepare
with the panel over his and for a series of public hear-
other GOP lawmakers' tes- ings in early June. It could
timony. refer the lawmakers to the
In an 11-page letter to the House ethics committee or
panel Friday, an attorney take steps to hold them in
for McCarthy argued that contempt.
the select committee does The subpoenas were is-
not have the authority to is- sued to McCarthy, Jordan,
sue subpoenas to the law- and Reps. Scott Perry of
makers under House rules Pennsylvania, Andy Biggs
and demanded answers of Arizona and Mo Brooks
to a series of questions and of Alabama in mid-May.
documents if his client were Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and The panel has already in-
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., sit together as they attend a Congressional Gold
to comply. Medal ceremony to honor members of the Merchant Marine who served in World War II, at the terviewed more than 1,000
Attorney Elliot Berke re- Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, May 18, 2022. witnesses and collected
quested a list of "topics Associated Press more than 100,000 docu-
that the Select Committee ments as it investigates the
would like to discuss with can lawmakers is crucial to McCarthy has acknowl- and after" the riot. worst attack on the Capitol
the Leader, and the consti- their investigation as each edged he spoke with His apparent defiance in two centuries.
tutional and legal rationale of the men was in contact Trump on Jan. 6 as Trump's presents a new challenge "I have no relevant informa-
justifying the request." with then-President Donald supporters were beating for the committee after tion that would advance
"I expressly reserve Leader Trump and his allies in the police outside the Capitol lawmakers decided to any legitimate legislative
McCarthy's right to assert weeks and days leading and forcing their way into take the extraordinary and purpose," Jordan said in a
any other applicable privi- up to the Capitol insurrec- the building. politically risky step of sub- letter detailing his reasons
lege or objection to the Se- tion. Some participated in But he has not shared poenaing their own col- for not cooperating. The
lect Committee's subpoe- meetings and urged the many details. The commit- leagues. others indicated after the
na," Berke wrote. White House to try to over- tee requested information "For House Republican subpoenas were issued
The House panel believes turn the 2020 presidential about his conversations leaders to agree to par- that they too would not
testimony from the Republi- results. with Trump "before, during ticipate in this political stunt cooperate.q

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

By ZEKE MILLER you're graduating into." time principles are the bed-
ANNAPOLIS, Maryland (AP) "The actions taken by Putin rock of a global economy
— President Joe Biden told were an attempt, to use my and of global stability," he
Naval Academy graduates phrase, to Finland-ize all of said. "You're going to help
Friday that they will be "rep- Europe, to make it all neu- knit together our allies in
resentatives and defenders tral," Biden said. "Instead, Europe with our allies in the
of our democracy," as free he NATO-ized all of Europe." Indo-Pacific."
societies are under threat Biden told graduates that Biden did not address two
from Russia's invasion of while they will learn to mass shootings in as many
Ukraine to China's maritime fly the most advanced weeks in his remarks. He,
expansion. planes, staff cutting-edge along with first lady Jill
Delivering a commence- ships and utilize novel tech- Biden, will visit Uvalde,
ment address to more than nologies, "The most power- Texas on Sunday to con-
1,000 newly commissioned ful tool that you'll wield is sole grieving families after
ensigns and second lieu- our unmatched network Tuesday's shooting at an el-
tenants at Navy-Marine of global alliances and ementary school that killed
Corps Memorial Stadium, the strength of our partner- 19 children and two teach- U.S. Naval Academy graduates celebrate and throw their cov-
ers at the end of the academy's graduation and commission
Biden said the Western re- ships." ers, the White House said. ceremony in Annapolis, Md., Friday, May 27, 2022.
sponse to Russian President The president told gradu- Biden's remarks to the Na- Associated Press
Vladimir Putin's "brutal" war ates that they will "defend val Academy marked his
in Ukraine shows the world the international rules of first commencement ad- the class of 2022's resilience mer Republican Sen. John
is aligning not on geogra- the road," particularly in the dress of the year. He is also in the face of the COVID-19 McCain, who is interred on
phy, "but in terms of values." Indo-Pacific region where set to deliver remarks at pandemic and with a cus- the grounds of the acad-
He called the invasion, "A they will be called on to Saturday's graduation cer- tomary pardoning of any emy, saying, "Being here
direct assault on the fun- "ensure freedom of naviga- emony at the University of minor infractions made by I can't help think of John
damental tenets of rules- tion in the South China Sea Delaware, his alma mater. midshipmen during their and how the naval acad-
based international order," and beyond." The president opened his time in the academy. emy meant so much to
adding, "that's the world "These longstanding mari- speech by paying tribute to He also paid tribute for for- him."q