House Jan. 6 committee holds prime-time hearing on Capitol assault

The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol is holding the primary of a number of public hearings to disclose the findings of its 11-month probe. 

“We can’t sweep what happened under the rug,” House Jan. 6 choose committee Chair Rep. Bennie Thompson is predicted to say in his opening assertion. “The American people deserve answers. So, I come before you this evening not as a Democrat, but as an American who swore an oath to defend the Constitution. The Constitution doesn’t protect just Democrats or just Republicans. It protects all of us: ‘We the People.’ And this scheme was an attempt to undermine the will of the people.”

Thursday’s historic hearing is being led by Thompson and committee vice chair Rep. Liz Cheney, who’s one in every of solely two Republicans on the committee. An aide mentioned forward of the hearing that Thompson will “place Jan. 6 in a broader historical context and talk about what an aberration that day was in the history of American democracy.” Committee aides mentioned there will probably be opening statements by Thompson and Cheney, adopted by (*6*) multimedia displays after which reside witness testimony.  

Thursday’s hearing options two witnesses: Documentary filmmaker Nick Quested, who adopted the Proud Boys on Jan. 6 and recorded hours of video that day, and Capitol Police officer Caroline Edwards, the primary legislation enforcement officer injured by rioters storming the Capitol grounds. Edwards suffered a traumatic brain harm and has not been in a position to return to work for the reason that assault, in line with the committee. Upon her arrival on Thursday to the hearing, Edwards mentioned “good to go” when requested if she was prepared. 

James Goldston, the previous president of ABC News, helped the committee put collectively its presentation, which is able to embody audio and video components. 

Among these attending the hearing would be the widows of Capitol Police officers Howard Liebengood and Jeff Smith, who each died by suicide following the Capitol assault. 

The committee has interviewed greater than 1,000 people, gathered greater than 140,000 paperwork and acquired practically 500 (*6*) ideas on its tip line. Members have spent practically a year reviewing paperwork and hearing testimony from individuals starting from former Trump officers to Capitol police to riot defendants.