The House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack has issued a new round of subpoenas, this time for members of the Proud Boys and its chairman, Henry “Enrique” Tarrio. The Committee also issued subpoenas to the Oath Keepers and its founder, Elmer Stewart Rhodes, among others:
“We believe the individuals and organizations we subpoenaed today have relevant information about how violence erupted at the Capitol and the preparation leading up to this violent attack,” Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-MS) said in a statement. “The Select Committee is moving swiftly to uncover the facts of what happened on that day and we expect every witness to comply with the law and cooperate so we can get answers to the American people.”
Thompson says members of the Proud Boys “called for violence leading up to January 6th, and at least 34 individuals affiliated with the Proud Boys have been indicted by the Department of Justice in relation to the January 6th attack on the Capitol.”
Many individuals associated with the Proud Boys repeatedly spread the former President’s unsupported claim that the 2020 election was stolen and suggested the use of force against police officers and government officials. Henry “Enrique” Tarrio was Chairman of the Proud Boys during the January 6th attack on the Capitol.
Months before the insurrection Trump infamously had told the Proud Boys to “stand back and stand by,” as this clip from his second impeachment shows:
The Oath Keepers “were similarly involved in planning and participating in the violent attack on the Capitol on January 6th. Eighteen members of the Oath Keepers were indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly planning a coordinated attack to storm the Capitol, including by traveling to Washington, D.C., with paramilitary gear and supplies,” Thompson’s statement adds.
“1st Amendment Praetorian is an organization that provided security at multiple rallies leading up to January 6th that amplified the former President’s unsupported claim that the election was stolen. On January 4th, the 1st Amendment Praetorian Twitter account suggested that violence was imminent,” Thompson says.
On Monday the House Select Committee issued subpoenas for five Trump allies, including Roger Stone and Alex Jones.