Asked by CNN correspondent Jake Tupper, “Will there be witnesses describing real conversations between these extremist groups and anyone in Trump Orbit? Rep. Benny Thompson replied, “Yes.
“Obviously you will have to go through hearings, but we have a number of of witnesses who Came forward what people didn’t talk before that would document a lot of going on in Trump’s orbit, while all of it was happening,” the Mississippi Democrat said.
Thompson did not specify on in nature of conversations, although the evidence is collected in DOJ cases on oathkeepers and proud boys shows that both groups stayed close to certain right-wing dignitaries, especially those they believed provided voluntary “protection” for on January 5 and 6, 2021
Thompson told CNN’s Erin Burnett on “Outfront” on Friday what panel will show proof of relationship between oath holders and members of in former The president’s inner circle, although they are not found evidence that Trump himself was engaged in directly with in group. The committee, he said, “found close relations with these extremist elements in country, especially the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers.”
“There are people like I said in its orbit that have attracted these groups all along,” Thompson said Friday.
These groups were at the forefront of riot. They were among first violate the building and are accused of planning violence.
Explaining the committee’s approach to hearings, Thompson told Tapper that “everything public heard tonight is factual. We can prove It. Because how are you know, fact checkers will look at everything that was presented, and we made conscious effort to put only on what could we prove.”
“So we put tweets from the President. We put on a video from the president,” he continued. “We bet everything on but we bet in an order that public now one could see that even when the president was told by the chief law enforcement officer that he had appointed the lawyer general that there was no fault in elections. Obviously, people he listened not deserving of respect in terms of looking at the evidence. And so, the president blew it off and started listening people who did not have real Earth on in issue.”
This story was updated with more details Friday.
Shona Mizell of CNN, Marshall Cohen and Zachary Cohen contributed to this report.
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