The House committee investigating Jan. 6 will move forward with recommending contempt charges for Donald Trump's ex-Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, Chairman Bennie Thompson revealed in a new letter.
The committee threatened to do so on Tuesday if he did not show up for his scheduled deposition this morning.
'The Select Committee is left with no choice but to advance contempt proceedings and recommend that the body in which Mr. Meadows once served refer him for criminal prosecution,' Thompson wrote on Tuesday.
In his letter to Meadows' lawyer Thompson also revealed bombshell details about the communications and documents that the former North Carolina congressman did send over to the committee.
One of the most damning appears to be a text exchange between Meadows and an unnamed federal lawmaker that took place after the November 2020 election.
The letter refers to a 'November 6, 2020, text exchange with a Member of Congress apparently about appointing alternate electors in certain states as part of a plan that the Member acknowledged would be "highly controversial" and to which Mr. Meadows apparently said, "I love it"...'
Thompson's letter means the House could set up a vote to refer Meadows to the Justice Department for criminal charges as early as this Friday.
Hours earlier on Tuesday, Meadows had announced he would cease compliance with the committee after he and the committee could not come to agreement on the terms of his testimony, according to his attorney.
Committee chair Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Mo., and Vice Chair Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., chided the former Trump official for ending cooperation with them as they say he reveals details about the day in his new book, 'The Chief's Chief.'
Committee chair Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Mo., and Vice Chair Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., chided the former Trump official for ending cooperation with them as they say he reveals details about the day in his new book, 'The Chief's Chief.'
'Mark Meadows has informed the Select Committee that he does not intend to cooperate further with our investigation despite his willingness to provide details about the facts and circumstances surrounding the January 6th attack, including conversations with President Trump, in the book he is now promoting and selling,' they wrote in a statement.
They also said that they had questions about official communications Meadows had carried from his personal accounts.
'We also need to hear from him about voluminous official records stored in his personal phone and email accounts, which were required to be turned over to the National Archives in accordance with the Presidential Records act.'
Meadows' attorney his client would no longer appear for a deposition in a letter to the committee released Tuesday. However, the letter noted that Meadows would still be willing to submit written answers to questions.
'We have made efforts over many weeks to reach an accommodation with the committee,' Meadows' attorney George Terwilliger told Fox, which first reported the news.
Just one week ago the committee said that Meadows had provided them records and agreed to give a deposition 'soon.' Prior to that, Meadows, along with former Trump strategist Steve Bannon, had refused to cooperate raising the prospect of criminal contempt proceedings.
Bannon was indicted for contempt of Congress following a referral from the House after he failed to appear for proceedings. Asked what his client would do if he is subject to the same treatment, Terwilliger said he and Meadows will 'cross that bridge when he come to it.'
He emphasized
