On Jan. 6, CNN’s Brianna Keilar went after House Select Committee Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) about the committee’s referral of a number of Republicans to the House Ethics Committee — rather than the Department of Justice — after GOP lawmakers failed to comply with his subpoenas.
The select committee tasked with investigating the deadly riot at the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, has subpoenaed House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and Reps. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), Scott Perry (R-Pa ). ) and Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) at the House Ethics Committee on Monday.
The move to send their cases to the Ethics Committee, which has an even number of Democrats and Republicans, comes as Republicans take control of the House next month. McCarthy is the favorite to be speaker, and his GOP colleagues are unlikely to agree to vetting fellow Republicans.
The commission has referred other cases to the Justice Department of people who failed to comply with its subpoenas, including those of former President Donald Trump’s associates Steve Bannon and Peter Navarro, Mediaite noted.
Keilar pressed Lofgren on the select committee’s decision to refer the lawmakers’ cases to the ethics committee.
“Why did you do it knowing nothing would come of it?” Keilar asked.
Lofgren said he thought something would come of the delays, but Keilar insisted and said the congressman knows Republicans won’t take action against Republicans.
“So the effect of sending this referral to the Ethics Committee is that I die on that committee. Why do it? continued Keilar.
You can hear Lofgren’s thoughts on how the Ethics Committee will respond in the video below.
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