The House Select Committee investigating January 6th Capital Riot, Requests that a Group of Telecommunications Companies preserve the Phone Records of: a Group of GOP Members of Congress, Trump and Members of the Trump Family, who played some Role in the "Stop the Steal" Rally that served as the prelude to the Capitol Insurrection.
The Records Request, is the First step in the Committee's Investigatory Process, and could Signal the Direction they plan to go when they call Witnesses.
It is unclear what means the Committee will use to compel the Telecommunications Companies to cooperate with their Request. The Committee does have Subpoena Power, but requesting the Information, especially from Members of Congress, could lead to a lengthy Legal Battle.
The Committee decided against making Public the Names of the Lawmakers whose Records they are targeting. This Group was targeted because the Committee concluded, each of these Lawmakers played some Role in the "Stop the Steal" Rally. They either Attended, Spoke, Actively Planned, or Encouraged People to Attend. The List is said to be evolving and could be added to as the Investigation steps up.
Select Committee Chairman, Bennie Thompson, (D-MS, 2nd District), previously said publicly that the Committee would be asking for the Phone Records of "several hundred" Individuals. In addition to the Members of Congress, the Committee will also Request the Records of Trump and his extended Family be Preserved.
Republicans have already reacted Negatively to the Prospect of the Committee requesting this Information. Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN, 3rd District), sent Thompson a Letter, on Friday, warning him against taking this step.
"Rifling through the call logs of your colleagues would depart from more than 230 years of Congressional oversight," he wrote. "This type of authoritarian undertaking has no place in the House of Representatives and the information you seek has no conceivable legislative purpose."
"I have nothing to hide," he said, but added that "if they cross this line," Republicans will keep asking questions about their Democratic Colleagues.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
