Pennsylvania Rep. Scott Perry refuses to speak to the Jan.6 panel about the Capitol Riot ‘

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The day after the House panel investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol uprising requested an interview with Rep. Scott Perry (R., Pa.), The lawmaker declined to speak with the panel, citing the failures of the “radical left”.

On Monday, the panel requested an interview with Perry, marking the first time it has publicly sought to interview a sitting member of Congress. In a statement he also posted on Twitter, Perry flatly declined the request, vowing to continue fighting the so-called “failures of the radical left.”

The panel, which investigated the insurgency by supporters of President Donald Trump and his efforts to overturn the election, also requested all documents and correspondence between Perry and Trump, his legal team or anyone involved in the planning for January 6. . events.

“I have tremendous respect for our Constitution, the rule of law and the Americans I represent who know this entity is illegitimate and not properly incorporated under the rules of the United States House of Representatives,” Perry said in the press release. “I decline the request of this entity and will continue to fight against the failures of the radical left which desperately seeks to distract itself from its abject failures of crushing inflation, a humiliating surrender in Afghanistan and the horrific crisis it has. created and which it refuses to resolve at our southern border. “

Perry’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The House has previously voted to despise those who refused to speak to the panel, including former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and Trump ally Steve Bannon. If found guilty, the two could each face up to a year behind bars on each charge.

READ MORE: Pennsylvania Rep. Scott Perry was part of high-level meeting with Trump officials as they plot to overturn 2020 election, report says

In a letter sent to Perry by the panel, Mississippi Representative Bennie Thompson, Democratic chair of the panel, said the committee had received evidence from several witnesses, including Acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen and Deputy Attorney General by interim Richard Donoghue. , that Perry had “an important role” in efforts to install Justice Department official Jeffrey Clark as acting attorney general.

Investigators say Perry met Trump before the Jan.6 insurgency and was one of a group of Trump allies who came together in a crucial meeting to try to overthrow the 2020 presidential election.

Days after the election call for Joe Biden, some of President Donald Trump’s top aides gathered, including Meadows, campaign manager Bill Stepien, Councilor Stephen Miller, press secretary Kayleigh McEnany and Perry, reported the New York Times.

Additionally, Perry reportedly pushed senior law enforcement officials including Richard Donoghue, then Rosen’s first deputy, to investigate debunked election claims, as well as trumpeting many baseless claims by Trump, according to a report from the Senate Democrats.

After Trump-appointed Justice Department officials said they found no evidence of large-scale fraud, Perry turned to lawyer Clark, who was born in Philadelphia. He introduced to Clark Trump in the Oval Office on December 23.

Although Clark, an attorney in the DOJ Civil Division, had no connection with the election investigation, he urged senior DOJ officials to issue a letter saying they were investigating voter fraud in major states. swing, according to Democrats.

In January, Perry admitted to connecting Trump and Clark.

Perry was also one of the most vocal supporters of eliminating all of Pennsylvania’s electoral votes. Just hours after the insurgency, Perry raised the objection, saying “The Constitution is just a piece of paper, it cannot defend itself.”

He was one of eight Pennsylvania Republicans, out of nine in the House, who voted to reject state votes.

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