House January 6 committee will not hold hearing on Thursday
By Ryan Nobles, Annie Grayer and Zachary Cohen, CNN
The House committee investigating the January 6, 2021, Capitol Hill insurrection will not hold a hearing this Thursday, as had previously been under consideration, a source familiar with the committee’s plans told CNN.
The source said Monday that the committee has decided to take a step back and plan for the hearing at a later date.
The panel never formally advised the Thursday hearing, which must typically be done a week in advance, but there were preliminary plans in the works to hold the hearing Thursday and in prime time. The committee can call a hearing on short notice with an agreement of the chairman and vice chairwoman.
This hearing is expected to be focused on the 187 minutes that the US Capitol was under siege and what former President Donald Trump was, and perhaps more importantly, was not doing as the riot was unfolding. Members of the committee have described his conduct as a “dereliction of duty.”
The decision to move the hearing back could be connected to the committee’s recent deposition of former White House Counsel Pat Cipollone, who met with investigators last Friday for more than seven hours. Cipollone is believed to have unique insight into what was happening in the West Wing during key moments on January 6.
The committee’s next hearing is scheduled on Tuesday for 1 p.m. ET, and committee members have said it will focus on how the violent mob came together and the role of extremist groups in the deadly insurrection.
“We are going to be connecting the dots during these hearings between these groups and those who were trying — in government circles — to overturn the election. So, we do think that this story is unfolding in a way that is very serious and quite credible,” said Democratic Rep. Zoe Lofgren of California, a member of the committee, in an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper on “State of the Union.”
Lofgren said the Tuesday hearing will zero in on connections between the Trump administration and militia groups such as the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys. She acknowledged that Roger Stone, a Trump ally, and Michael Flynn, Trump’s onetime national security adviser, could be two of those connections, among others.
Jason Van Tatenhove, a former spokesperson and self-described “propagandist” for the Oath Keepers, is expected to testify on Tuesday, a source familiar with the hearing plans confirmed to CNN on Sunday. Van Tatenhove told Colorado TV station KDVR of his invitation last week.
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CNN’s Devan Cole contributed to this report.
