Jan. 6 panel wants interview with Texas Rep. Ronny Jackson
WASHINGTON, D.C. (CBSDFW.COM/AP) - Three more House Republicans received requests on May 2 to voluntarily appear before the congressional committee investigating the U.S. Capitol insurrection, including an Alabama Republican who says Donald Trump is still pushing allies to help him overturn his loss in the 2020 election.
The select committee sent letters to Texas Representative Ronny Jackson, District 13 (R-Amarillo), and Reps. Mo Brooks and Andy Biggs — three members of the ultra-right House Freedom Caucus that have in recent years aligned themselves with Trump.
The nine-member panel is asking for the members of Congress to testify about their involvement in meetings at the White House, direct conversations with Trump as he sought to challenge the results of the 2020 presidential election as well as the planning and coordination of rallies on and before Jan. 6, 2021.
"The Select Committee has learned that several of our colleagues have information relevant to our investigation into the facts, circumstances, and causes of January 6th," committee chairman Bennie Thompson and vice-chair Liz Cheney said in a statement. "We urge our colleagues to join the hundreds of individuals who have shared information with the Select Committee to get to the bottom of what happened on January 6th."
The decision to ask for Brooks' cooperation comes weeks after the Alabama Republican accused Trump of dropping an endorsement for him after he rebuffed the former president's entreaties to help overturn the 2020 election.
The committee's interest in Biggs is on the heels of an April 22 court filing where lawmakers accused him of being an active participant in meetings that took place in the White House after the 2020 election where he and other Republicans brainstormed ways to keep Trump in power. He is also accused of encouraging protesters to come to Washington on Jan. 6 as well as persuading state legislators and officials that the election was stolen.
In an interview last week, Biggs didn't deny his public efforts to challenge the election results but called the recent reports about his deep involvement untrue. "I've seen my name. There were three articles today, and they were filled with untruths," he told The Associated Press.
Jackson, a former White House physician to two presidents, emerged as a vocal Trump ally, but his nomination as Veterans Affairs secretary was withdrawn amid allegations that he created a hostile work environment and improperly distributed prescription drugs. Jackson strenuously denied those claims, and went on to run for Congress from Texas.
A request for comment from Jackson and Brooks was not immediately returned.