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The five House GOP members who ignored subpoenas by the Jan. 6 committee will likely emerge unscathed, as the panel’s options to punish them for noncompliance are legally limited.
GOP Reps. Scott Perry (PA), Jim Jordan (OH), Andy Biggs (AZ.), and Mo Brooks (AL), along with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, were all subpoenaed at various points by the committee for their actions in the run-up to and on Jan. 6, 2021. All of the congressmen have refused to cooperate with the panel, and due to constitutional limits on Congress holding its own members accountable within the judicial system, the committee would be unable to refer them for prosecution.
“The Speech or Debate Clause makes it clear that Congress doesn’t hold members of Congress accountable in the judiciary or other places in the government,” Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), who serves on the committee, told The Hill. “Members of Congress are only held accountable through Article One in their own chambers for their actions.”