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January 07, 2021

Five House Committees Seek Urgent Briefing on FBI’s Plans to Bring to Justice Those Involved in Incitement and Assault on U.S. Capitol

(WASHINGTON) – Today, five Committees of the U.S. House of Representatives sent a letter to Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray seeking an immediate briefing on the FBI’s efforts to investigate the deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol.

“We write to request an immediate and urgent briefing on the steps the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is taking to investigate and pursue for prosecution the instigation, planning, and execution of the deadly terrorist attack on the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, by President Donald Trump, his supporters, and outside groups, as well as to disrupt any further activity designed to attack our government,” the Chairs wrote.

The letter was signed by Committee on Oversight and Reform Chairwoman Carolyn B. Maloney, Committee on the Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler, Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Bennie G. Thompson, Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Adam B. Schiff, Committee on Armed Services Chairman Adam Smith, and Rep. Stephen F. Lynch.

“Given the incendiary environment caused and exacerbated by President Trump’s rhetoric, along with the upcoming inauguration of President-Elect Joe Biden, it is imperative that the FBI leverage all available assets and resources to ensure that the perpetrators of this domestic terrorist attack and those who incited and conspired with them are brought to justice, and that this domestic terrorist group is disrupted from further actions against our government,” the Chairs wrote. 

The letter detailed how President Trump incited the attack by repeatedly claiming the election was stolen from him, despite multiple failed lawsuits and no evidence to support his claims:

  • On December 19, President Trump tweeted:  “Statistically impossible to have lost the 2020 Election.  Big protest in D.C. on January 6th.  Be, there, will be wild!”  
  • At a rally yesterday, President Trump told his supporters:  “We’re going [to] walk down to the Capitol...you’ll never take back our country with weakness.  You have to show strength, and you have to be strong.”  
  • Rudy Giuliani, the President’s personal attorney, urged the President’s followers to march to the Capitol and engage in a “trial by combat.” 

The letter asked Director Wray to brief the Chairs and Ranking Members on how the FBI is working to investigate and prosecute these domestic terrorists and those who enabled them, how the FBI prepared for yesterday’s events, and its plans to disrupt any further violent plans. 

Click here to read today’s letter.

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Press Contact

Aryele Bradford (Oversight and Reform): 202-226-5181

Danny Schwarz/Shadawn Reddick-Smith (Judiciary): 202-225-3951

Adam Comis (Homeland Security): 202-225-9978

Patrick Boland (Intelligence): 202-225-4176

Monica Matoush (Armed Services): 202-225-6902