(Headline USA) Pennsylvania’s Republican nominee for governor on Thursday sued the Jan. 6 Tribunal TV committee, contesting its legal ability to force him to answer questions about the events that took place at the Capitol.
The lawsuit filed by Doug Mastriano contends that the partisan committee lacks appointees of House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and thus does not comply with House rules for conducting a compelled deposition of witnesses. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi stacked the committee with headhunting Democrats and Never Trump RINOs.
A properly appointed ranking minority member is necessary for a witness to have access to protections provided in House rules on deposition authority, the lawsuit says.
Last month, Mastriano cut short a closed-door interview without answering questions from committee members. The committee refused to let Mastriano record the deposition, Mastriano’s lawsuit said. Mastriano has concerns about how the committee might disseminate excerpts to the public from a closed-door deposition with him, the lawsuit said.
A committee spokesperson declined comment on the lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington.
Still, Mastriano’s lawyer, Timothy Parlatore, has said his client is willing to voluntarily testify publicly before the panel and has told the FBI that he didn’t know about any planned riotous behavior or any coordination behind the Jan. 6, 2021, uprising at the Capitol.
Mastriano helped organize efforts in Pennsylvania to submit alternate presidential electors in opposition to the highly questionable and controversial election results, and was seen outside the Capitol as some pro-Trump demonstrators became entangled with police.
Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press
