Witnesses Tell Jan. 6 Committee Trump Gave The ‘Green Light’ For Mob To Target Pence

The Jan. 6 Committee turned its investigative lens on the behavior of former President Donald Trump during the 187 minutes between the time he learned of the assault on the Capitol and his decision to speak publicly about the insurrection despite multiple efforts by White House staff, family members and others who “implored” him to condemn the mob.

“We’re going to walk down, and I’ll be with you,” Trump had told the crowd at a rally of his supporters. The time was 1:10 p.m.

Congresswoman Elaine Luria, a Democrat from Virginia, said President Trump was being advised by “nearly everyone” to instruct the rioters to disperse.

Finally, at 4:17 Trump tweeted a videotaped message, saying, “Go home, and go home in peace.

Luria and Congressman Adam Kinzinger led the hearing which was televised during primetime.

Kinzinger stated, “President Trump did not fail to act … he chose not to act.”

Kinzinger, a Democrat from Illinois who has also served in the military, compared the conduct of the political leaders and staff who upheld their responsibilities to the American people on Jan. 6 with Trump’s, saying they shine “a light on President Trump’s dishonor and dereliction of duty.”

‘Fuel to the fire’

Sgt. Mark Robinson, a retired member of the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, testified, “The President was upset and was adamant about going to the Capitol.” Robinson joined a growing list of witnesses who have recounted Trump’s argument with Secret Service. Robinson said the motorcade waited more than 45 minutes before a decision was made not to take Trump to the Capitol.

Within 15 minutes of leaving the rally, Luria said the president was aware of the assault on the Capitol.

Once he returned to the White House, witnesses say the president watched Fox News for more than two-and-a-half hours. There is no official record of Trump receiving any calls and the presidential diary does not offer any entries. According to the committee, the chief White House photographer was reportedly told, “No photos.”

Luria stated, “He [President Trump] did not call to issue orders. He did not call to offer assistance.”

She added Trump was calling Senators to delay the certification of the vote and stop the transfer of power to Joe Biden. Former Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany testified that Trump “asked for a list of Senators.”

The Secret Service held Pence and his family in an office for 13 minutes until they were able to move them from the Capitol to safety while the rioters stormed the building mere feet from him. Rioters accused Pence of betraying Trump.

“I thought it was outrageous and wrong,” testified former White House Counsel Pat Cippolone.

A White House Security Official testified that members of Pence’s security detail were “starting to fear for their lives.”

The committee presented evidence that White House officials wanted Trump to ask rioters to leave. They even called for Trump’s daughter to appeal to her father. Sarah Matthews, an assistant to Trump, told the committee Trump could have addressed the nation within a matter of seconds.

During the melee at 2:24 p.m. on Jan. 6, Trump tweeted and called Pence a “coward.”

Matthew Pottinger, former deputy national security advisor, said he resigned shortly after he read the tweet.

“I was disturbed and worried to see that the President was attacking Vice-President Pence for doing his constitutional duty. That was the moment that I decided I was going to resign. I simply didn’t want to be associated with the events that were unfolding on the Capitol,” Pottinger stated.

Matthews also said, “It was obvious that the situation at the Capitol was violent. And I remember thinking that this was going to be bad for him tweeting that because it was essentially the green light to do what they were doing … he should have been telling these people to go home.”

Committee chairman Bennie Thompson, who tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this week, did not attend the hearing but made videotaped remarks that were played at the beginning of the hearing.

Thompson said, “There needs to be accountability under the law, accountability to the American people, accountability at every level.”

The hearings will continue in September after the summer recess.