Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., said this weekend that the Democrats’ Jan. 6 commission is investigating whether former president Donald Trump violated a criminal statute with regard to the Capitol protests.
“Yes, we’re looking,” Kinzinger told CNN’s Jake Tapper.
He would not, however, say whether he believes Trump really did commit a crime.
“I’m not ready to go there yet,” he said. “But I sure tell you I have a lot of questions about what the president was up to.”
Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., the only other Republican on the J6 Inquisition, was the first to suggest criminal charges might be in the works for Trump. She cited a statute last week that states, “Whoever corruptly obstructs, influences or impedes any official proceeding or attempts to do so shall be fined or imprisoned, not more than 20 years, or both.”
To say Trump explicitly committed a crime is “obviously a pretty big thing,” Kinzinger continued. “We want to know, though.”
“Nobody is above the law. Nobody,” Kinzinger said. “Not the president – he’s not a king – not former presidents, they aren’t former kings. Nobody is above the law. And if the president knowingly allowed what happened on Jan. 6 to happen, and, in fact, was giddy about it, and that violates a criminal statute, he needs to be held accountable for that.”
In a separate interview, Kinzinger told ABC News the committee was prepared to subpoena Trump and force his testimony if Trump continues to try and fight the committee in court.
“If we need him, we’ll do it,” he said.
“If we need him, we’ll do it.”
Rep. Adam Kinzinger, one of two Republicans on the House’s Jan. 6 committee, tells @jonkarl that former Pres. Trump could be subpoenaed if necessary. https://t.co/pYUB5sYbaL pic.twitter.com/N5OwLOcH7F
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) December 19, 2021
