Jan. 6 panel releases transcripts for first 34 witness testimonies

The Home choose committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the Capitol launched transcripts of testimony from 34 witnesses, nearly all of whom pleaded the Fifth for not less than some — if not most — of the panel’s questions.

Amongst these within the first transcript dump have been former performing Assistant Lawyer Basic for the Civil Division Jeffrey Clark, Trump marketing campaign lawyer John Eastman, conservative legal professional Jenna Ellis, former Nationwide Safety Adviser Michael Flynn, Trump ally Roger Stone, Oath Keepers Founder Stewart Rhodes, Proud Boys Chairman Enrique Tarrio, conservative radio host Alex Jones, Arizona Republican Get together Chair Kelli Ward and white nationalist Nick Fuentes.

The transcript launch got here the identical day the committee initially deliberate to publish its full report. However on Wednesday afternoon, the panel introduced that it was punting launch of the work to Thursday. It didn’t cite a cause, however the change got here hours earlier than Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was set to ship a speech throughout a joint assembly of Congress.

Nearly all of the witnesses whose transcripts have been launched Wednesday pleaded the Fifth modification throughout their interviews with the panel. Some witnesses even invoked the Fifth for primary questions, like asking their age.

The discharge of the primary batch of transcripts got here two days after the choose committee held its remaining public presentation. On the finish of the enterprise assembly, the panel voted on 4 legal referrals to the Justice Division focusing on former President Trump.

The committee beneficial that the company examine the ex-president for inciting, aiding, or aiding and comforting an rebel; obstructing an official continuing; conspiracy to defraud america and conspiracy to make a false assertion.

The panel additionally unveiled legal referrals involving Eastman, who crafted two memos for the Trump marketing campaign on methods to cease the certification of the 2020 presidential election outcomes. The committee beneficial that he be probed for obstruction of an official continuing and conspiracy to defraud america.

Additionally on Wednesday, a “shadow committee” of 5 Home Republicans — the identical ones who have been nominated to serving on the Jan. 6 panel earlier than GOP management pulled them — launched a counter-report relating to safety failures associated to the Capitol riot.