{"id":390119,"date":"2021-11-15T20:34:14","date_gmt":"2021-11-15T20:34:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/radiofree.asia\/?guid=3db9cf18fc285952daebf64133b9f221"},"modified":"2021-11-15T20:34:14","modified_gmt":"2021-11-15T20:34:14","slug":"as-damning-new-memo-shakes-trumps-defense-january-6-committee-turns-up-heat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/2021\/11\/15\/as-damning-new-memo-shakes-trumps-defense-january-6-committee-turns-up-heat\/","title":{"rendered":"As Damning New Memo Shakes Trump\u2019s Defense, January 6 Committee Turns Up Heat"},"content":{"rendered":"\"Attorney<\/a>

Like an Ent of the woodlands<\/a> hauling its trunked legs from the rooty firmness of the soil, Attorney General Merrick Garland\u2019s Justice Department finally bestirred itself on Friday and rose against the castled walls of the previous presidential administration. After weeks of bated silence, Garland secured two charges<\/a> of contempt of Congress against former Donald Trump adviser Steve Bannon, who had saucily refused to comply with subpoenas for testimony and documents.<\/p>\n

\u201cSince my first day in office,\u201d noted Garland in a Friday statement, \u201cI have promised Justice Department employees that together we would show the American people by word and deed that the department adheres to the rule of law, follows the facts and the law and pursues equal justice under the law. Today\u2019s charges reflect the department\u2019s steadfast commitment to these principles.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fine words, but not the actual message. The actual message telegraphed by the deeds and words of the attorney general was far simpler: Mark Meadows? Yes, you\u2019ll be next<\/em>. Earlier that same Friday, former Trump White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows likewise blew<\/a> off subpoenas for testimony and document production produced by the House select committee investigating the Capitol attack. Scant hours later, the Bannon indictments were announced, and the elevator in Meadows\u2019s stomach probably went all the way down to the basement.<\/p>\n

The fate of these subpoenas now rests with the courts, which will have to decide if Trump\u2019s all-encompassing legal theory on executive privilege has any bearing in reality or the law. However that turns out, the Justice Department laid down an unmistakable marker for any other potential witnesses wishing to make nice with Trump by defying congress: Be prepared to trade subpoena compliance for a couple of felony charges.<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Meadows’s actions today — choosing to defy the law — will force the Select Committee to consider pursuing contempt or other proceedings to enforce the subpoena,\u201d said<\/a> committee chair Bennie Thompson and committee member Rep. Cheney in a joint Friday statement. \u201cIf his defiance persists and that process moves ahead, the record will reveal the wide range of matters the Select Committee wished to discuss with Mr. Meadows until his decision to hide behind the former President’s spurious claims of privilege.\u201d<\/p>\n

On Monday, Bannon surrendered to federal authorities and was charged with two counts of contempt. \u201cOn the way into the FBI’s Washington Field Office to turn himself in,\u201d reports<\/a> ABC News<\/em>, \u201cBannon cut a promo on one of his social media accounts for his radio show, advising his supporters to not \u2018take their eye off the ball.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n