Exclusive: Meadows reaches deal for initial cooperation with January 6 investigators

[demmiblue]

Source: CNN

(CNN)Donald Trump's former chief of staff Mark Meadows is cooperating with the House select committee investigating the January 6 riot and is providing records and agreeing to appear for an initial interview, CNN exclusively has learned.

The move represents a critical shift in the relationship between the top Trump ally and the panel, and staving off a criminal contempt referral for now.

"Mr. Meadows has been engaging with the Select Committee through his attorney," Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi who chairs the committee said in a statement. "He has produced records to the committee and will soon appear for an initial deposition. The Select Committee expects all witnesses, including Mr. Meadows, to provide all information requested and that the Select Committee is lawfully entitled to receive. The Committee will continue to assess his degree of compliance with our subpoena after the deposition."

Meadows' lawyer George Terwilliger said in a statement to CNN that there is now an understanding between the two parties on how information can be exchanged moving forward, stating that his client and the committee are open to engaging on a certain set of topics as they work out how to deal with information that the committee is seeking that could fall under executive privilege.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/30/politics/mark-meadows-january-6-committee/index.html

[Cognitive_Resonance]

1. Blink! n/t

[LetMyPeopleVote]

2. This makes me smile

I deleted my LBN thread on this story

[KPN]

3. Why am I skeptical? Frankly, this guy deserves zero trust or respect in my view. My big fear is

that this will just delay things another month more than they have already at which point his attorneys will try to strike another deal.

For the record, this isn't so much a prediction on my part as an angst.

[rurallib]

6. You ain't the only one

Until Meadows actually does some real testifying, all I can think is that this is another dodge of some sort to save his worthless ass.

[AngryOldDem]

7. Burned too many times.

I’ll believe it when they’re in front of the committee, flipping on Trump.

[Mr.Bill]

15. Some of them may already be. n/t

[louis-t]

4. It would really look bad for fg if ALL of his former staff were indicted.

But the 'executive privilege' argument will only go so far. This is not 'cooperating', it's only seeking to see how much they can hide without going to prison.

[bucolic_frolic]

5. Power up the fog machine

The initial obfuscation and politicizing facts will spark conflict. A "certain set of topics" and they're still discussin executive privilege.

Is this the beginnings of a cave?

[KPN]

9. Only if he actually appears and they can put him in a position that he must clearly perjure himself

in order to avoid revealing evidence that can be used by DOJ/prosecutors in a criminal charge against him or TFG.

I think this Special Committee has very little power to do anything more than gather and daylight information that subsequent prosecutions may or may not find useful, and that can set a public and historical record of what exactly happened, why and who was involved/culpable/complicit.

Perhaps they can take some steps against members of Congress who their proceedings can prove were involved in actually planning and supporting the insurrection? I don't know, but it would be nice if they, being an arm of the House of Reps, could actually expel such traitors rather than just make recommendations to expel or less, like censure.

If DOJ isn't investigating with the intent to follow through where prosecution is warranted, we are screwed in my view.

[Grasswire2]

8. How is it that an accused gets to negotiate so extensively??

Bring the hammer down.

[hamsterjill]

14. My thoughts exactly.

"Meadows reaches deal"...I didn't think that's how it worked.

[Deminpenn]

10. Meadows was never going to risk jail

and he doesn't plan on being the one left holding the bag either. The stuff about executive privilege is just a place holder statement for when the courts rule there is no such thing for former presidents.

[PSPS]

11. LOL. "reaches deal" whereby it drags out until the next exection when they hope to take the House

All of these investigations will just be dissolved and disappear if that happens.

[KPN]

12. This stuff is muddy. Can anyone please explain what actual powers this select committee have beyond

contempt of Congress charges carrying a penalty of arrest and/or fine? Do they have any power to hold House members accountable if they were involved in the insurrection beyond censuring or removing from standing committees?

Can they actually do anything beyond compiling a historical and public record of what actually happened, why and who was directly involved, and providing that info to DOJ with recommendations for investigation/prosecution?

Just wondering. Meadows is going to play out the clock as long as possible as are all of TFGs henchmen. Not sure the Select Committee will ever get anything meaningful out of him ... which leads me to wonder what actually can they do to effectively hold anyone accountable?

[Justice matters.]

16. Holding accountable is the job of the DOJ.

The committee's job is to gather information about 'what happened' and 'who did what' so it can write legislation that could/would help prevent another attack.

And yes, if they document 'criminal activities' from 'criminal actors' (no matter who they are), they will make referrals to the DOJ for criminal prosecution (based on indisputable evidence, if any) to be presented to the Grand Jury for indictments (on a simple majority rule, which is 50%+1).

[Javaman]

13. either he flipped or he didn't

either way, he will still try and be all "Qnut" when testifying just so he can fend off most of the death threats from the monster he and tfg created.

[Justice matters.]

17. Hearings behind closed doors.

At least for a few more months.

Public hearings around August/September next year.

[Javaman]

18. Ahh then he has time to make up whatever

Convincing lie he will tell the mouth breathing idiot supporters

[Justice matters.]

19. Yep, but the mouth breathing idiot supporters will never believe the committee...

anyway, so why bother? Besides, Meadows will probably end up in contempt too.