Jan. 6 Panel Subpoenas Jeffrey Clark, Former Justice Dept. Official

Politics|Jan. 6 Panel Subpoenas Jeffrey Clark, Former Justice Dept. Official

WASHINGTON — The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot issued a subpoena connected Wednesday to Jeffrey Clark, a erstwhile Justice Department authoritative nether President Donald J. Trump who was progressive successful Mr. Trump’s frenzied efforts to overturn the 2020 statesmanlike election.

The subpoena seeks grounds and records from Mr. Clark, a little-known official who repeatedly pushed his colleagues astatine the Justice Department to assistance Mr. Trump undo his loss. The panel’s absorption connected him indicates that it is deepening its scrutiny of the basal causes of the attack, which disrupted a legislature league called to number the electoral votes formalizing President Biden’s victory.

“The prime committee needs to recognize each the details astir efforts wrong the erstwhile medication to hold the certification of the 2020 predetermination and amplify misinformation astir the predetermination results,” Representative Bennie Thompson, Democrat of Mississippi and the committee chairman, said successful a statement. “We request to recognize Mr. Clark’s relation successful these efforts astatine the Justice Department and larn who was progressive crossed the administration.”

The subpoena was the 19th issued successful the House inquiry, and it came arsenic the sheet braced for a imaginable ineligible battle with astatine slightest 1 prospective witness, Stephen K. Bannon, a erstwhile advisor to Mr. Trump who has refused to cooperate. The leaders of the committee threatened past week to question transgression charges against Mr. Bannon successful response.

Robert J. Costello, a lawyer for Mr. Bannon, did not backmost down successful a missive to the committee connected Wednesday, reiterating that his lawsuit would not nutrient documents oregon grounds “until specified clip arsenic you scope an statement with President Trump” connected claims of enforcement privilege “or person a tribunal ruling.”

On Wednesday, Mr. Thompson said the sheet “expects Mr. Clark to cooperate afloat with our investigation.”

The Senate Judiciary Committee said past week that determination was credible grounds that Mr. Clark was involved successful efforts to interrupt the peaceful transportation of power, citing his connection to present a missive to authorities legislators successful Georgia and others encouraging them to hold certification of predetermination results.

The Senate committee besides said Mr. Clark recommended holding a quality league announcing that the Justice Department was investigating allegations of elector fraud, successful enactment with Mr. Trump’s repeated demands, contempt a deficiency of grounds of immoderate fraud. Both proposals were rejected by elder leaders successful the department.

The New York Times reported successful January that Mr. Clark besides discussed with Mr. Trump a program to oust the acting lawyer general, Jeffrey A. Rosen, and wield the department’s powerfulness to unit authorities lawmakers successful Georgia to overturn its statesmanlike predetermination results. Mr. Clark denied the account, which was based connected the accounts of 4 erstwhile Trump medication officials who asked not to beryllium named due to the fact that of fearfulness of retaliation.

The House panel’s subpoena requires Mr. Clark to nutrient records and attest astatine a deposition connected Oct. 29.

Last week, the committee issued subpoenas to organizers of the “Stop the Steal” rally that took spot connected the grounds of the Capitol earlier the violence. The sheet has issued subpoenas to 11 others associated with the rallies arsenic good arsenic 4 allies of Mr. Trump it believes were successful connection with him earlier and during the attack.

Maggie Haberman contributed reporting.