Several House Republicans, including Rep. Eric Burlison and Rep. Thomas Massie, have introduced a resolution to rescind subpoenas issued by the January 6th Select committee against Steve Bannon, Mark Meadows, Dan Scavino, and Peter Navarro. This move aims to nullify the contempt of Congress convictions related to these subpoenas, arguing that without the subpoenas, the contempt charges would be invalid.
The resolution targets the subpoenas issued by the committee on September 23, 2021, October 6, 2021, and February 9, 2022, and seeks to withdraw the recommendations that found Bannon, Meadows, Scavino, and Navarro in contempt of Congress.
The resolution outlines several reasons for rescinding the subpoenas. It describes the committee's actions as a “solely partisan exercise” aimed at vilifying President Trump and his advisors for the January 6th Capitol breach. It highlights that the committee included only two Republicans, Adam Kinzinger and Liz Cheney, neither of whom had broad GOP support, both of whom are openly anti-Trump.
It notes that then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi refused to seat members requested by GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy. The resolution also criticizes the committee for operating without a ranking minority leader, which is customary for congressional committees.
The resolution concludes that the Select Committee was illegitimate, its findings were predetermined due to its partisan nature, and the courts should overturn any convictions or commute any sentences resulting from the committee's contempt reports.
Rep. Burlison's announcement of the resolution listed several GOP co-sponsors, including Reps. Andy Biggs, Chip Roy, Andy Ogles, Andrew Clyde, Paul Gosar, Bob Good, Diana Harshbarger, Lauren Boebert, Anna Paulina Luna, Eli Crane, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Jim Banks, Michael Cloud, Dan Bishop, and Scott Perry.
Steve Bannon, who was sentenced to four months in prison in October 2022 for defying the committee's subpoena, is scheduled to report to prison on July 1. Although he had been out on appeal, a court upheld his conviction in May.
Read the resolution here.
