John --



Did you see Donald Trump's recent rally, at which he said "the BIG LIE is a lot of bull****," rewrote history to fit his self-aggrandizing fantasies, and lashed out at me and the other members of what he calls the "1/6 Unselect Committee of political hacks"?



It was stomach turning -- not because of the childish insults (I couldn't care less) or that he continues to lie about the election and celebrate the insurrection, but because he's conned so many Americans into worshipping at the feet of a sore-loser who still refuses to concede defeat.



And as much as we'd like to ignore his antics and pretend he's harmless, we've got to admit the truth: He's dangerous, and it's up to Republicans, Democrats, and Independents to call out his lies and stand up for democracy.  



I, for one, have refused to be silent, and I'm not going anywhere. Regardless of whether I have a title, I will fight to save our Republic from the authoritarian and autocratic threat Trump and his lackeys pose to America.



Country First is part of a vitally important constellation of organizations seeking to take on the most toxic "Trump First" partisans -- up and down the ballot.  We will unveil our first-of-its-kind strategy, called "Primary First," in time for our 1st Birthday later this month. I'm very excited for you to learn all about it and help bring it to life!



I do not take for granted the trust you've placed in me to usher our movement through this turbulent chapter of American history, and I'm humbled by your continued support.  Your investment in Country First -- whether it be your time <[link removed]>, money <[link removed]>, or helping to spread the word -- helps us preserve democracy and pass a better, brighter America to our kids and grandkids.  I have faith the good we do today will be compounded over time, and I'm excited by what we can do together.



With great appreciation, I remain yours in service.



Country First,



Adam



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1/6 Committee Weekly Digest



Country First presents the next edition of The Weekly Digest to highlight the important work of the January 6th Select Committee. Each week that the committee makes news, we’ll provide a recap to make sure you’re up to date.



In Case You Missed It: 



- Rep. Kinzinger speaking <[link removed]> on MSNBC on the anniversary of the attack. 

- Rep. Kinzinger speaking with Chuck Todd on Social Media Disinformation <[link removed]> and 1/6

- Rep. Kinzinger criticizes <[link removed]> Trump on Fox News.   

- Rep. Kinzinger talks with GMA to give an update <[link removed]>on 1/6 commission.



New Requests for Information from 1/6 Committee: 



- House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA)

- Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH)

- Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA)

- Sean Hannity (Fox News)



Here are the major developments from this past week: 



The 1/6 Committee Calls Out McCarthy and other GOP Members for their Comments on the Insurrection 



The 1/6 Committee is firing back after members of the GOP, including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) questioned <[link removed]> the legitimacy of the investigation. The committee responded to the allegations in its first detailed legal response in a filing Wednesday night. 



Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-MS) responded to Minority Leader McCarthy saying, "We have information that he made calls to the White House, telling him [Trump] he needed to call the people off and for whatever reason, he decided not to come to the committee and say what many things he said in public." McCarthy has been dodging questions about responding to the questions the committee wants to ask him. Recently, McCarthy has decided not to respond <[link removed]> to the request of the January 6th committee to answer questions. McCarthy has also backtracked his initial statements that the former president had any involvement in the planning or unfolding of the events that conspired on January 6th.



As a reminder, here <[link removed]> is Congressman McCarthy’s speech on January 13, 2021, condemning the former president for his inaction on January 6th. 



Extremist group, the Oath Keepers, leaders Indicted on the Most Serious Charges Yet



On January 13, just over a year after the attack on the Capitol, the leader of the extremist group known as the Oath Keepers, Stewart Rhodes, was indicted <[link removed]> on 17 counts of seditious conspiracy. Along with Rhodes, 10 others in the extremist group, including Edward Vallejo of Phoenix, were also indicted on the same charges. Seditious conspiracy is the most serious charge that has been brought against people who were involved in the attack at the Capitol. Often referred to treason’s sibling, seditious conspiracy is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. 



A federal grand jury in Washington, DC handed down the indictment days after Attorney General Merrick Garland reaffirmed <[link removed]> his commitment to prosecuting the perpetrators of the attempted coup. The DOJ produced a news release <[link removed]> saying, in part, "According to the seditious conspiracy charge, the defendants conspired through a variety of manners and means, including: organizing into teams that were prepared and willing to use force and to transport firearms and ammunition into Washington, DC." 



The indictment goes on to accuse the 11 of recruiting members and holding trainings to teach combat tactics as well as providing weaponry and protective equipment to their members. 



Federal Judge Rejects Proud Boys First Amendment Claim in Conspiracy Case



In an opinion issued last week, Judge Timothy Kelly rejected <[link removed]> the far-right extremist group known as the “Proud Boys” claim that their actions on January 6th are protected under the 1st Amendment. Proud Boys leaders Joseph Biggs, Charles Donohoe, Ethan Nordean, and Zachary Rehl were charged <[link removed]> with conspiracy and obstruction among other felonies for planning the brutal attack at the Capitol. The obstruction charge carries a 20-year maximum prison term.



Judge Kelly, wrote "No matter Defendants political motivations or any political message they wished to express, this alleged conduct is simply not protected by the First Amendment," the Trump-appointed judge continued saying, "Quite obviously, there were many avenues for Defendants to express their opinions about the 2020 presidential election… without resorting to the conduct with which they have been charged."



This ruling is unique because it is a separate case from the case against another far-right extremist group, the Oath Keepers. 



January 6 Committee Looking to Release Interim Report Mid-Summer



The 1/6 Committee, including Congressman Kinzinger, is seeking to ensure the American people are aware of the serious information it has uncovered. According to senior committee aides, the committee has a goal <[link removed]> of releasing an interim report in the summer of 2022, with a goal of releasing a final report before the end of the year. 



The committee has split into five teams and are looking for, "information on the money and funding streams for the 'Stop the Steal' rallies and events; the misinformation and online extremist activity; how agencies across the government were preparing for the January 6 rally; the pressure campaigns to overturn the election results or delay the electoral certification; and the organizers of the various events and plans for undermining the election," the Washington Post reported Dec. 27.



While some witnesses have been reluctant to comply with subpoenas issued, the committee has collected over 9,000 documents and records from former Chief of Staff Mark Meadows alone, with many members of Congress still to be subpoenaed. 



The commission also plans to hold public hearings in 2022. 



Federal Judge Rejects Trump’s Claim of Peaceful January 6 Protesters



On Monday, US district Judge Amit Mehta handed Trump's lawyers another blow <[link removed]>, telling them to "stick with the facts" when they claimed Trump urged his supporters to stay peaceful. Judge Mehta said that Trump did not, "take to Twitter… and say 'Stop. Get out of the Capitol. What you are doing is not what I wanted to do,'" in a court hearing on Monday. 



A federal judge required the lawyers for the former president to reckon with his silence during the attack at the Capitol, asking whether the president’s action or lack thereof could be considered an endorsement of the violence that occurred.  



Trump’s lawyer pushed back, saying that the former president could not face legal action for his inaction. 



Select Committee Issued Subpoenas to Social Media Companies



Social Media companies including Twitter, Reddit, Facebook, and Google were subpoenaed <[link removed]> by the 1/6 committee on January 13. The committee has asked for more records after their first request received “inadequate responses” from the major platforms. 



The committee believes social media giants like Meta, formerly Facebook, among other social media giants have held back information that is vital to the House investigation. 



Other news that may be of interest: 



- Biden calls <[link removed]> 1/6 an attempted coup. 

- Pence and the 1/6 Committee go back and forth over testimony <[link removed]>. 

- 1/6 Committee issued more <[link removed]> subpoenas. 

- CNN produced a fact check <[link removed]> on Rep. Jordan’s letter to the committee. 

- CNN produced a fact check <[link removed]> on House Minority Leader McCarthy’s comments on the 1/6 Committee. 



Country First is proud to release The Weekly Digest with important updates on the 1/6 Committee's investigation of the Capitol attack. If you would like to help contribute content to this newsletter, please e-mail [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>.







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