Rep. Andy Biggs is the latest GOP lawmaker to signal he won’t cooperate with the Jan. 6 committee’s subpoena request, unless the panel justifies its reasoning behind the move.
Mr. Biggs’ legal team raised concerns about the lack of information provided in the subpoena request, as well as the constitutional basis for issuing it to the Arizona Republican.
“We write to lodge objections to what we believe are certain facial and substantive deficiencies afflicting the subpoena, as well as to seek additional information concerning the rationale for the subpoena and the scope of the committee’s proposed deposition of Congressman Biggs,” Mr. Biggs’ lawyers wrote to Rep. Bennie Thompson, chairman of the Democratic-led committee.
Among his complaints, Mr. Biggs claims he nor his attorneys have been personally served a subpoena from the committee, instead being issued one by email addressed “to the undersigned.”
The lawmaker also argues the subpoena does not specify the exact location of where the deposition would take place, and omits the scope of what the committee is inquiring of Mr. Biggs.
Mr. Biggs is one of five House Republicans, including Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, who were issued subpoenas by the Jan. 6 committee this month, following the members’ unwillingness to voluntarily cooperate with the panel’s investigation into the U.S. Capitol riot.
SEE ALSO: McCarthy won’t cooperate with Jan. 6 committee unless materials shared in advance
Reps. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, Jim Jordan of Ohio, and Mo Brooks of Alabama were also targeted by Mr. Thompson.
Mr. McCarthy and Mr. Jordan have signaled similar measures to Mr. Biggs, requesting the committee for its “constitutional” basis for issuing the subpoenas, as well as heightened transparency in the materials they’ll rely on in questioning.
The committee requested information from Mr. Biggs related to his relationship and knowledge of the “Stop the Steal” effort organized by Ali Alexander to overturn the 2020 election in favor of former President Donald Trump.
Members also sought to question Mr. Biggs on trying to persuade state lawmakers to prevent President Biden’s victory in the election, and his efforts to seek a presidential pardon from Mr. Trump after the riot.
Republicans have dubbed the committee as being politically motivated and overstepping their authority, while denying they have information that could benefit them in their probe of the riot.
In an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal this week, Mr. McCarthy and Mr. Jordan doubled down on painting the committee as a partisan tool to go after Republicans.
“By subpoenaing us and three other Republican members, the Select Committee is escalating its abusive tactics. This attempt to coerce information from members of Congress about their official duties is a dangerous abuse of power, serves no legitimate legislative purpose, and eviscerates constitutional norms,” the Republican legislators wrote.
The committee is made up of seven Democrats and two Republicans, including Reps. Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois — two vocal critics of Mr. Trump.
Hearings are expected to begin in June.
