The California Republican attacked members of the Democratic-led House Select Committee on Jan. 6 for seeking a "surveillance state" and warned any companies who accede to possible subpoenas for access to the communications of Republican lawmakers.
A story issued Monday reported that the Jan 6 committee asked telecommunications companies to maintain records from several Republican lawmakers involved in the “Stop the Steal” demonstration before the Capitol riot.
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These lawmakers include Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Jim Jordan of Ohio, Andy Biggs of Arizona, Paul Gosar of Arizona, Mo Brooks of Alabama, Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina, Matt Gaetz of Florida, Louie Gohmert of Texas, Jody Hice of Georgia, and Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, according to CNN.
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The records request is the first step in the committee's investigatory process and could signal the direction they plan to go when they call witnesses.
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It is unclear what means the committee will use to compel the telecommunications companies to cooperate with their request. The committee does have subpoena power, but requesting the information -- especially from members of Congress -- could lead to a lengthy legal battle.
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The committee did not make public the names of the lawmakers whose records they are targeting. But multiple sources familiar with the committee's work have confirmed for CNN at least part of the list including many of the members of Congress involved in the application.
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In addition to their association with the demonstration, this group also expresses some of former Trump's most loyal followers in Congress, many of whom proceed to advertise Trump's claims about the 2020 election. Many of these members also voted to object to the election results on the day of the insurrection.
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A spokesperson for the Select Committee refused to comment on the lawmakers and members of Trump's family included in the preservation of records request list.
Select Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson, a Mississippi Democrat, previously said publicly that the committee would be asking for the phone records of "several hundred" individuals. In addition to the members of Congress, CNN has learned the committee will also ask for the records of the former President be preserved, as well as his daughter Ivanka, his sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, as well as his daughter-in-law Lara Trump and Kimberly Guilfoyle, who is Trump Jr.'s girlfriend and worked on the campaign.
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