The United States House select committee on the January 6 attack wrote Tuesday to Fox News host Sean Hannity asking him to answer questions about text messages he allegedly sent to former President Donald Trump and others.
The Committee said it possesses “dozens of text messages” sent from Hannity. These include Hannity’s communications with Trump, former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH):
For example, on December 31, 2020, you texted Mr. Meadows the following:
“We can’t lose the entire WH counsels office. I do NOT see January 6 happening the way he is being told. After the 6 th. [sic] He should announce will lead the nationwide effort to reform voting integrity. Go to Fl and watch Joe mess up daily. Stay engaged. When he speaks people will listen.”
Among many other things, this text suggests that you had knowledge of concerns by President Trump’s White House Counsel’s Office regarding the legality of the former President’s plans for January 6th. These facts are directly relevant to our inquiry.
Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), chair of the select committee investigating the January 6 attack on the Capitol, speaks as Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY), vice-chair of the select committee investigating the January 6 attack on the Capitol, Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) and Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) listen during a committee meeting on Capitol Hill on December 1, 2021, in Washington, DC. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
The panel also said Hannity appears to have “detailed knowledge regarding President Trump’s state of mind in the days following the January 6th attack”:
Additionally, you appear also to have detailed knowledge regarding President Trump’s state of mind in the days following the January 6th attack. For example, you appear to have had a discussion with President Trump on January 10th that may have raised a number of specific concerns about his possible actions in the days before the January 20th inaugural. You wrote to Mark Meadows and Congressman Jordan:
“Guys, we have a clear path to land the plane in 9 days. He can’t mention the election again. Ever. I did not have a good call with him today. And worse, I’m not sure what is left to do or say, and I don’t like not knowing if it’s truly understood. Ideas?”
Last month, Meadows sued every member of the January 6 committee, arguing that it is unconstitutionally usurping executive branch authority.
According to the letter, the panel’s questions are limited to Hannity’s text messages. It will not seek information about Hannity’s broadcast or political affiliation. The panel claimed to have “immense respect for the First Amendment to our Constitution, freedom of the press, and the rights of Americans to express their political opinions freely.”
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