ARIZONA NEWS

Jan. 6 committee has questions for US Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona

May 2, 2022, 10:10 AM | Updated: 3:03 pm

U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona speaks at a news conference outside the U.S. Capitol on April 5, 20...

U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona speaks at a news conference outside the U.S. Capitol on April 5, 2022, in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

(Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

PHOENIX – The congressional panel investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack at the U.S. Capitol wants Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona to explain himself.

The House Jan. 6 committee on Monday sent letters to Biggs and two other Republicans, Rep. Mo Brooks of Alabama and Rep. Ronny Jackson of Texas, requesting meetings next week.

“The Select Committee has learned that several of our colleagues have information relevant to our investigation into the facts, circumstances, and causes of Jan. 6,” Chairman Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) and Vice Chair Liz Cheney (R-WY) said in a joint statement.

“As we work to provide answers to the American people about that day, we consider it a patriotic duty for all witnesses to cooperate. We urge our colleagues to join the hundreds of individuals who have shared information with the Select Committee as we work to get to the bottom of what happened on Jan. 6.”

Biggs issued a statement on Monday afternoon in which he declined the invitation while comparing the committee’s investigation to the Salem witch trials.

“The committee has been a sham since its origins,” he said. “Its entire purpose is to destroy President Trump and his supporters, intimidate members of Congress, and distract Americans from real issues that are destroying this country.”

In the letter to Biggs, the committee said it wants to know about his involvement in planning the protest that lead to the Jan. 6 violence and his connection to Stop the Steal organizer Ali Alexander.

The letter also references the third-term East Valley congressman’s involvement in efforts to overturn then-President Donald Trump’s election loss.

In an interview last week, Biggs didn’t deny his public efforts to challenge the election results but called the recent reports about his deep involvement untrue. “I’ve seen my name. There were three articles today, and they were filled with untruths,” he told The Associated Press.

Congress was in the process of officially certifying President Joe Biden’s victory on Jan. 6, 2021, when Trump supporters overwhelmed security and broke into the Capitol, temporarily halting the proceedings.

The panel also said it has “recent information from former White House personnel” that identified an effort by certain House GOP lawmakers to seek a presidential pardon for activities related to Trump’s efforts to overturn the election. “Your name was identified as a potential participant in that effort,” the committee wrote to Biggs.

Since launching its investigation last summer, the Jan. 6 panel has been slowly gaining new details about what lawmakers said and did in the weeks before the insurrection. Members have already asked three GOP lawmakers — Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, Rep. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California — to testify voluntarily. All have refused.

So far, the Jan. 6 committee has refrained from issuing subpoenas to lawmakers, fearing the repercussions of such an extraordinary step. But in recent days, Thompson and other committee members have hinted that subpoenaing their colleagues may not be completely off the table.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Pass it along to the KTAR News team here.

Comments

Comment guidelines: No name-calling, personal attacks, profanity, or insults. Please keep the conversation civil and help us moderate comments by reporting abuse.
comments powered by Disqus

Arizona News

Integrated Biometrics Chandler Arizona 2025...

Serena O'Sullivan

Integrated Biometrics expanding its Chandler research facility

PHOENIX — Companies curious about incorporating biometrics into their workflows can now visit a Chandler research facility to test new technologies through interactive exhibits. Integrated Biometrics, a South Carolina-based company, has a facility in Chandler near Kyrene Road and Chandler Boulevard. The company recently expanded its Chandler facility by around 8,000 square feet, according to […]

49 minutes ago

Arizona State Parks and Trails will raise fees....

Lance Hartzler

Arizona State Parks and Trails fees to increase at more than 30 locations

PHOENIX — Visitors to Arizona parks and trails are going to be paying a little more starting on Feb. 25. Arizona State Parks and Trails, which does not rely on taxpayer dollars to operate parks, announced Thursday that the agency will increase fees on entrances, camping and tour tickets for its 33 locations to help […]

1 hour ago

fentanyl pills, fentanyl bust Phoenix...

KTAR.com

Weekend Wrap: Here are the biggest Phoenix news stories from Feb. 7-9

Here are some of the top Valley news stories from Feb. 7-9, including a Phoenix man being pulled over with more than 100,000 fentanyl pills.

13 hours ago

Economists foresee labor shortages in construction and agriculture as a result of President Donald ...

Matthew DeWees and Katrina Michalak/Cronkite News

Donald Trump’s mass deportations could mean higher costs and labor shortages in Arizona

Deportations ordered by President Trump could hit Arizona’s agriculture and construction sectors hard, pushing up prices for shoppers.

17 hours ago

Immigration Arizona criminal charges 565 people USAO...

Payne Moses

More than 500 charged with immigration-related crime in Arizona over recent 2-week period

From Jan. 21-Feb. 3, a total of 565 people were charged with illegal immigration activity by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Arizona.

19 hours ago

Two Valley freeway ramps will be closed for the next two months....

Kevin Stone

2 Valley on-ramps closing for 2 months as part of freeway improvement projects

A couple of metro Phoenix freeway ramps are closing for the next two months as part of ongoing improvement projects.

23 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

...

Bright Wealth Management

How to start your retirement planning early and avoid costly mistakes

Retirement planning can feel overwhelming, but with the right guidance, you can avoid costly pitfalls.

...

The UPS Store

How The UPS Store is giving back to the community

PHOENIX -- As 2024 nears a close, The UPS Store is looking to give back to the Arizona community with the holiday season approaching.

...

Schwartz Laser Eye Center

Don’t miss the action with this game-changing procedure

PHOENIX -- The clear lens exchange procedure has emerged as a popular alternative to LASIK eye surgery.

Jan. 6 committee has questions for US Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona