Jan. 6 committee: Tuesday's hearing to focus on the Trump team’s ties to far-right extremist groups

WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 12: Rep. Jamie Raskinm (R) (D-MD), seated next to Rep. Liz Cheney (L) (R-WY), delivers remarks during the seventh hearing by the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol in the Cannon House Office Building on July 12, 2022 in Washington, DC. The bipartisan committee, which has been gathering evidence for almost a year related to the January 6 attack at the U.S. Capitol, is presenting its findings in a series of televised hearings. On January 6, 2021, supporters of former President Donald Trump attacked the U.S. Capitol Building during an attempt to disrupt a congressional vote to confirm the electoral college win for President Joe Biden. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

In her closing remarks, Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wy., expressed concern that Trump attempted to contact a recent witness in the committee's investigation.

"And one more item after our last hearing, President Trump tried to call a witness in our investigation, a witness you have not yet seen in these hearings. That person declined to answer or respond to President Trump's call and instead alerted their lawyer to the call. Their lawyer alerted us."

"And this committee has supplied that information to the Department of Justice. Let me say one more time. We will take any effort to influence witness testimony very seriously," Cheney stated.

Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wy., previewed the committee's next hearing, which will focus on the events that transpired on Jan. 6.

"Next week, we will return to January 6 itself. As we have shown in prior hearings, Donald Trump and his legal team led by Rudy Giuliani, were working on January 6th to delay or halt Congress' counting of electoral votes. The mob attacking and invading the Capitol on that afternoon of January 6th was achieving that result," she said.

"And for multiple hours, Donald Trump refused to intervene to stop it. He would not instruct the mob to leave or condemn the violence. He would not order them to evacuate the Capitol and disperse. The many pleas for help from Congress did no good. His staff insisted that President Trump call off the attack, he did not."

She said the committee will walk through the Jan. 6 events "minute by minute" including Trump's refusal to call his attorney general, the Department of Defense or the Department of Homeland Security.

WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 12: Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) delivers remarks during the seventh hearing by the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol in the Cannon House Office Building on July 12, 2022 in Washington, DC. The bipartisan committee, which has been gathering evidence for almost a year related to the January 6 attack at the U.S. Capitol, is presenting its findings in a series of televised hearings. On January 6, 2021, supporters of former President Donald Trump attacked the U.S. Capitol Building during an attempt to disrupt a congressional vote to confirm the electoral college win for President Joe Biden. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

In his closing remarks, Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., described the events of Jan. 6 as a despicable act of "American carnage."

"In his inaugural address, Trump introduced one commanding image, American carnage. Although that turn of phrase explained little about our country before he took office, it turned out to be an excellent prophecy of what his rage would come to visit on our people," said Raskin.

"American carnage. That's Donald Trump's true legacy," the congressman continued.

"His desire to overthrow the people's election and seize the presidency interrupted the counting of Electoral College votes for the first time in American history, nearly toppled the constitutional order and brutalize hundreds and hundreds of people. The Watergate break in was a Cub Scout meeting compared to this assault on our people and our institutions."

Capitol riot defendant Stephen Ayres testified that he came to Washington, D.C. for the rally after seeing posts on social media from former President Trump and supporters about the election being stolen.

"Who knows I may not have come down here," Ayres said when asked by Rep. Liz Cheney if Trump had said there was no evidence of widespread voter fraud.

Ayres said that he initially didn't plan on going to the Capitol after the "Stop the Steal" rally but was "riled up" by Trump's speech.

Ayres said he made the decision to leave the area once Trump tweeted for people to "go home."

Former Oath Keeper spokesperson Jason van Tatenhove testified in person Tuesday that the far-right extremist group enlisted tactics of intimidation and lies to push their rhetoric.

"I think we saw a glimpse of what the vision of the Oath Keepers is on January 6th, It doesn't necessarily include the rule of law. It doesn't necessarily include it includes violence. It includes trying to to get their way through lies, through deceit, through intimidation, and through the perpetration of violence, the swaying of people who may not know better through lies and rhetoric and propaganda that can get swept up in these moments. And I'll admit, I was swept up at one point as well to but I don't know if that answers the question," he said.

Van Tatenhove also stated that he broke from the extremist group after he heard fellow members stating they didn't believe in the Holocaust.

He said he ran into a "group of core members of the group of the Oath Keepers and some associates, and they were having a conversation at that public area where they were talking about how the Holocaust was not real."

"And that was, for me, something I just could not abide," stated van Tatenhove.

According to testimony and records from the National Archives, Trump revised his Jan. 6 rally speech to put pressure on then-Vice President Mike Pence to overturn election results.

Rep. Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla., said: "President Trump's edits continued into the morning of January 6. And as you can see from the president's daily diary here, the president spoke to his chief speechwriter, Stephen Miller, for over 25 minutes that morning following his call with Mr. Miller. President Trump inserted for the first time a line in his speech that said, quote, And we will see whether Mike Pence enters history as a truly great and courageous leader. All he has to do is refer the illegally submitted electoral votes back to the states that were given false and fraudulent information where they want to recertify."

"No prior version of this speech had referenced Vice President Pence or his role during the joint session on January 6. These last minute edits by President Trump to his speech were part of the president's pressure campaign against his own vice president. But not everyone wanted these lines regarding the vice president included in the president's speech, including White House lawyer Eric Herschmann."

Former Trump administration staffers told the Jan. 6 Committee that the president opened the door of the Oval Office to the White House Rose Garden so he could hear his supporters gathering on Jan. 5, the day before the rally.

Rep. Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla, said: "Through the open door of the Oval Office, the president could hear the sound of the crowd in the music at the rally at the Freedom Plaza. And these are some of the things that they were saying there at the plaza, just blocks from where the president sat that evening, excited for the next day."

In addition, Nicholas Luna stated: "I was in the office in the Oval Office, and he had asked me to open the door so that he could hear, I guess there was a concert or something going on."

Trump "made a comment. I don't remember specifically what he said, but there is a lot of energy," Luna continued.

Judd Deere, former White House communications aide, testified that Trump "continued to reference being able to hear them outside."

WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 12: Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-FL) delivers remarks during the seventh hearing by the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol in the Cannon House Office Building on July 12, 2022 in Washington, DC. The bipartisan committee, which has been gathering evidence for almost a year related to the January 6 attack at the U.S. Capitol, is presenting its findings in a series of televised hearings. On January 6, 2021, supporters of former President Donald Trump attacked the U.S. Capitol Building during an attempt to disrupt a congressional vote to confirm the electoral college win for President Joe Biden. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Former Trump campaign spokesperson and Jan. 6 rally organizer Katrina Pierson testified that she detailed to then-White House chief of staff Mark Meadows concerns regarding Jan. 6 rally attendees, days before.

"I think I even texted him some of my concerns, but I did briefly go over some of the concerns that I had raised everybody with Alex Jones or Ali Alexander and some of the rhetoric that they were doing. I probably mentioned to him that they had already caused trouble at other Capitol or at the previous event, the previous March that they did for protesting. And I just had a concern about it," Pierson told the committee according to video shown Tuesday.

Rep. Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla, stated that Pierson was concerned by the fact longtime Trump adviser Roger Stone, conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and and far-right activist Ali Alexander were being considered as speakers at the event.

The committee obtained "hundreds of messages" that Rep. Raskin says show "strategic and tactical planning" for the January 6 rally between various far-right groups that were coordinating with each other.

"These non-aligned groups were aligning," former Homeland Security official Donnell Harvin testified. "And so all the red flags went up at that point."

Additionally, Raskin showed pictures of former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn flanked by members of the far-right group Oathkeepers and alleged that both Flynn and Stone had ties to the group.

Raskin also claimed that Roger Stone participated in the taken their "fraternity creed" of the Proud Boys.

Committee Member Rep. Jamie Raskin argued during the hearing that former President Trump's tweet telling his followers the January 6 rally "will be wild" was a post that incited and encouraged violent extremists to head to Washington, D.C.

"Many of Trump's followers took to social media to declare that they were ready to answer Trump's call," Raskin said, before listing social media posts from accounts allegedly belonging to Trump supporters.

"One user asked, is the sixth D-Day? Is that why Trump wants everyone there?" Raskin said. "Trump just told us to come armed, is this happening, f****** A. This is happening. A third took it even further. It will be wild means we need volunteers for the firing squad."

Former White House counsel Pat Cipollone told the House January 6 Commission that there was no evidence of widespread election fraud in the 2020 presidential election, and that former President Donald Trump should have conceded.

During private testimony Friday that was aired during Tuesday’s hearing, Cipollone was asked whether he agreed that there was "no evidence of election fraud sufficient to undermine the outcome of the election."

"Yes, I agree with that," Cipollone answered.

Asked by the committee whether he held the belief that Trump should concede "at a certain point after the election," he responded, "Yes, I did."

Cipollone said his thinking at the time was "in line" with remarks made by then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on the Senate floor on Dec. 15, in which McConnell recognized now-President Joe Biden as the rightful winner of the 2020 presidential election.

Cipollone was White House counsel under the Trump administration. His interview comes after former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson testified before the committee that Cipollone was concerned that if Trump's January 6 rally led to a march on the Capitol, it would create legal exposure for possible criminal charges such as obstruction or inciting a riot.

Read full story by Fox News' Jessica Chasmar: Cipollone told Jan. 6 Committee there was no evidence of widespread election fraud, Trump should have conceded

Members of Trump's inner circle testified about a screaming match in the White House in a December 18 meeting between those that believed widespread fraud had taken place in the 2020 election and those that did not.

"I'm going to categorically describe it as, 'you guys are not tough enough,'" former Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani said about the heated meeting. "Or maybe I put it another way, 'you guys are a bunch of p******."

Former Trump Senior Adviser Eric Herschmann testified that former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn screamed at him during the meeting.

"Flynn screamed at me that I was a quitter and kept on standing up and turning around and screaming at me," Herschmann said.

Former Trump counselor Derek Lyons said the meeting consisted of Trump attorney Sidney Powell "fighting" for "avenues" that would result in Trump staying in power for a second term.

WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 12: Pat A. Cipollone, who served as White House counsel for President Donald J. Trump, appears on a video screen above members of the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol during the seventh hearing on the January 6th investigation in the Cannon House Office Building on July 12, 2022 in Washington, DC. The bipartisan committee, which has been gathering evidence for almost a year related to the January 6 attack at the U.S. Capitol, is presenting its findings in a series of televised hearings. On January 6, 2021, supporters of former President Donald Trump attacked the U.S. Capitol Building during an attempt to disrupt a congressional vote to confirm the electoral college win for President Joe Biden. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

"I don't think Sidney Powell would say that I thought it was a good idea," former White House Counsel Pat Cipollone told the committee when asked attorney Sidney Powell being given "expansive" authority to investigate alleged election fraud. "I was vehemently opposed, I didn't think she should be appointed to anything."

"It's fair to say that I agree with Attorney General Barr's conclusion on December 1st," former White House Counsel Pat Cipollone said when asked if he agreed with AG Barr's conclusion that there was no widespread fraud in the election. Yes, I did, and I supported that conclusion."

WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 12: A video of Ivanka Trump is shown on a screen during the seventh hearing held by the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol on July 12, 2022 in the Cannon House Office Building in Washington, DC. The bipartisan committee, which has been gathering evidence related to the January 6, 2021 attack at the U.S. Capitol for almost a year, is presenting its findings in a series of televised hearings. On January 6, 2021, supporters of President Donald Trump attacked the U.S. Capitol Building in an attempt to disrupt a congressional vote to confirm the electoral college win for Joe Biden. (Photo by Doug Mills-Pool/Getty Images)

The House Select Committee on January 6 played tape of former President Trump's daughter Ivanka testifying that she believes the certification of the Electoral College on December 14 was a significant moment.

"I think so, I think it was my sentiment probably prior as well," Trump said when asked if December 14 as an "important" date that caused a "realization" that the administration would come to an end.

WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 12: Members of the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol attend the seventh hearing on the January 6th investigation in the Cannon House Office Building on July 12, 2022 in Washington, DC. The bipartisan committee, which has been gathering evidence for almost a year related to the January 6 attack at the U.S. Capitol, is presenting its findings in a series of televised hearings. On January 6, 2021, supporters of former President Donald Trump attacked the U.S. Capitol Building during an attempt to disrupt a congressional vote to confirm the electoral college win for President Joe Biden. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Rep. Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla., mentioned a Dec. 19, 2020 tweet by former President Trump, which has become central to the committee's investigation, during her opening remarks.

"The president called for backup early in the morning of December 19. The president sent out a tweet urging his followers to travel to Washington, D.C. for January 6," Murphy stated.

"'Be there, will be wild,' the president wrote, as my colleague, Mr. Raskin, will describe in detail, this tweet served as a call to action and in some cases as a call to arms."

"For many of President Trump's most loyal supporters, it's clear the president intended the assembled crowd on the January 6 to serve his goal. And as you've already seen, and as you will see again today, some of those who were coming had specific plans," continued Murphy.

"The president's goal was to stay in power for a second term despite losing the election. The assembled crowd was one of the tools to achieve that goal."

CNN's Manu Raju asked Chair Bennie Thompson about former Trump adviser Steve Bannon testifying before the committee.

"Not yet," Thompson responded.

Steve Bannon informed lawmakers investigating the Jan. 6 riot on Saturday that he now wants to testify publicly after former President Trump waived executive privilege, according to letters obtained by Fox News. 

"President Trump has decided that it would be in the best interests of the American people to waive executive privilege for Stephen K. Bannon, to allow Mr. Bannon to comply with the subpoena issued by your Committee," Bannon's attorney, Robert Costello, wrote in the letter to Thompson. "Mr. Bannon is willing to, and indeed prefers, to testify at your public hearing."

The longtime Trump ally had refused to cooperate with the Jan. 6 committee for months, leading to two charges for contempt of Congress last year. The trial for those two counts is set to begin later this month, but Bannon wants to delay it until the fall. 

Fox News' Jason Donner contributed to this report

House January 6 Select Committee Vice Chairwoman Liz Cheney said during her opening remarks that former President Trump's strategy is to blame other people for the January 6 attack.

"The strategy is to blame people his advisors called 'the crazies' for what Donald Trump did," the Wyoming Republican said. "This, of course, is nonsense. President Trump is a 76 year old man. He is not an impressionable child, just like everyone else in our country, he is responsible for his own actions and his own choices."

"He seized on the anger he had already stoked among his most loyal supporters," Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson said about former President Trump during his opening remarks.

"Today, the committee will explain how, as a part of his last ditch effort to overturn the election and block the transfer of power, Trump summoned a mob to Washington, D.C., and ultimately spurred that mob to wage a violent attack on our democracy," Thompson added.

UNITED STATES - JUNE 28: Former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, Kimberly Guilfoyle, Donald Trump Jr., and former President Donald Trump, are seen on a monitor as Meadows aide Cassidy Hutchinson, testified during the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol hearing to present previously unseen material and hear witness testimony in Cannon Building, on Tuesday, June 28, 2022. Appearing from left are, Reps. Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla., Elaine Luria, D-Va., Adam Schiff, D-Calif., Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., and vice chair Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo.(Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

The January 6 Committee Tuesday is set to hold a hearing focusing on former President Donald Trump's efforts to stay in power in the final weeks of his presidency and his alleged role in bringing violent rioters to Washington, D.C.

It comes as lawmakers on the committee seek to add to their narrative that Trump is at fault for the riot that forced hundreds of lawmakers into hiding and interrupted the counting of electoral votes. 

Reps. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., and Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla., will lead Tuesday's hearing, according to committee aides. It will be the seventh in just over one month.

Past hearings focused on whether Trump's knew that his claims the 2020 election was stolen were false, his whereabouts on January 6 and his efforts to pressure officials to overturn the election. Tuesday's hearing, a committee aide said, will aim to connect the dots showing Trump was the catalyst that brought the mob to Washington, D.C.

"That tweet on Dec. 19 is when he told people to come to Washington on January 6 – be there, it will be wild," was a key moment, a committee aide said. The far-right Proud Boys and Oath Keepers groups, the aide said, will be central to the hearing, a committee aide said.

The hearing will connect those groups to people in Trump's orbit, the aide said, including Roger Stone and retired Gen. Mike Flynn. The aide said it will also highlight Trump's knowledge that the crowd in D.C. could get violent.

Read more: January 6 Committee: Hearing to highlight Trump's alleged role in bringing mob to Capitol

The January 6th Committee has announced Tuesday's hearing, initially scheduled to start at 10 a.m. ET, will now start at 1 p.m. ET.

UNITED STATES - JUNE 28: Cassidy Hutchinson, an aide to former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, testifies during the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol hearing to present previously unseen material and hear witness testimony in Cannon Building, on Tuesday, June 28, 2022. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

The last time the January 6th Select Committee held a public hearing was on June 28th, when Cassidy Hutchinson, a former aide to White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows provided inside testimony into how the White House reacted to the riots.

Hutchinson, who had significant access in the White House, detailed former President Donald Trump's demands to be taken to the Capitol on Jan. 6, his treatment of Secret Service agents, and his reaction to threats to his vice president. 

Click here to read more: Top 5 moments of explosive Cassidy Hutchinson testimony on Trump, attack on Capitol

Click here for previous coverage of the January 6th committee hearings.