Politics

Trump’s subpoena and what’s next for the Jan. 6 panel

Published

4 years ago

October 14, 2022

FILE - A video of then-President Donald Trump speaking is displayed as the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol holds a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022. In an extraordinary step, the House Jan. 6 committee on Thursday voted to subpoena former President Donald Trump. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) — In an extraordinary step, the House Jan. 6 committee has voted unanimously to subpoena former President Donald Trump — a final effort to get the full story of the Capitol insurrection as the panel wraps up its work by the end of the year.

Trump still does not acknowledge the “former” in front of “president,” and he has been relentlessly hostile to the investigation. He called it a “charade and a witch hunt” in a letter to the committee on Friday — but notably did not mention the subpoena or say whether he would comply with the demand for his appearance.

The attempt to compel Trump’s testimony comes as the committee is tying together multiple investigative threads and compiling its final report. The panel is only authorized through this Congress, which ends on Jan. 3.

A look at what’s next as the panel sprints to its finish:

THE TRUMP SUBPOENA

The nine-member committee has interviewed more than 1,000 witnesses, including many of the former president’s top White House aides. And they have laid out a detailed timeline of Trump’s efforts to overturn his 2020 election defeat — including his inaction as his supporters stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. But they still want to hear from Trump himself.

Now that a subpoena has been authorized — on Thursday — it must be delivered in writing to Trump. That step, expected early next week, will set a date for an interview and lay out requests for documents.

Trump and his lawyers will then decide how to respond. He could comply, negotiate with the committee, announce he will defy the subpoena or ignore it altogether. He could also go to court and try to stop it.

If Trump doesn’t comply, the panel will have to weigh the practical and political implications of a vote on holding him in contempt of Congress. If the full House voted to recommend such a charge, the Justice Department would then review the case.

The committee has taken that step with some of Trump’s allies who refused to comply with subpoenas, including Steve Bannon, who was convicted of contempt in July. But holding a former president in contempt would be another matter, an exceptional step for any Congress.

In his letter on Friday, Trump repeated his false claims of widespread election fraud and said he was writing to express “anger, disappointment and complaint” that the committee wasn’t investigating his claims. He also took the opportunity to boast anew about the size of the crowd that gathered for his speech near the White House on the morning of Jan. 6, before he sent them marching to the Capitol. He included aerial photographs. He said nothing about the subpoena.

Even if he does comply, there’s reason to doubt that Trump’s appearance would help the investigation. He did respond to some written questions from special counsel Robert Mueller during the probe of Russian cooperation with his 2016 campaign. But his answers produced little or nothing to advance the investigation. More recently, he appeared for a deposition by the office of New York State Attorney General Letitia James — but invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination more than 400 times in refusing to answer questions.

WHAT ABOUT PENCE?

The committee is still talking to lawyers for former Vice President Mike Pence, as it has been for months. But it is unclear whether the lawmakers will subpoena the vice president or ask him for testimony.

Several of Pence’s aides have talked to investigators, some providing great detail about his movements and state of mind as he resisted Trump’s pleas to object to the certification of electoral votes that day and try to overturn their defeat to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.

Video shown Thursday at the committee’s final hearing before the midterm elections showed Pence coordinating with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer for help as the rioters were inside the building, some of them calling for Pence’s execution. The leaders were working with security officials to ensure that they could return to the Capitol and certify Biden’s victory.

A CRIMINAL REFERRAL?

The committee will also have to decide whether to refer any allegations of crimes to the Justice Department. While federal prosecutors are conducting their own investigations into Jan. 6 and Trump’s efforts to overturn the election, the congressional committee has its separate, massive trove of evidence.

Lawmakers on the panel have hinted multiple times over the past year that they will issue criminal referrals. At the hearing on Thursday, Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney, the committee’s Republican vice chairwoman, said that the panel “may ultimately decide” to do so. She said they have “sufficient information to consider criminal referrals for multiple individuals.”

While such a referral would not force any action, it would amplify the political pressure on Attorney General Merrick Garland as the department pursues its own probes.

SECRET SERVICE

The committee recently received more than 1.5 million pages of documents from the Secret Service. But lawmakers say they still don’t have everything they want.

The panel is working to verify the accounts of White House aides who described Trump’s actions on Jan. 6 as he tried to go to the Capitol and accompany his supporters, hundreds of whom eventually broke in. Security officials, along with many White House aides and GOP members of Congress, were vehemently opposed to the idea. Trump was livid and tried, ultimately unsuccessfully, to go to the Capitol anyway, according to several accounts aired by the committee.

California Rep. Pete Aguilar, a Democratic member of the panel, said the lawmakers “will be recalling witnesses and conducting further investigative depositions” based on the Secret Service material. The agency has not turned over text messages that it says were deleted.

FINAL REPORT

The panel’s expected final action will be a massive report laying out evidence, findings and legislative recommendations to ensure nothing like Jan. 6 ever happens again. But it’s unclear how much of its investigative material will be released to the public.

In one of eight hearings last summer, Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin, another Democratic member, said, “We have only shown a small fraction of what we have found.”

Lawmakers have made clear that the report will lay out what they view as the stakes for the country as many Republicans still believe, falsely, that the 2020 election was stolen and as Trump considers another run in 2024.

“With every effort to excuse or justify the conduct of the former president, we chip away at the foundation of our republic,” Cheney said at the hearing.

Central Florida News

Orlando Commissioner Tony Ortiz Files for Mayor, Could Become City’s First Puerto Rican Mayor

Published

2 hours ago

May 12, 2026

Willie David

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) — Tony Ortiz, a longtime Orlando city commissioner, former Marine, and former law enforcement officer, has officially filed to run for mayor of Orlando following Mayor Buddy Dyer’s announcement that he will not seek re-election.

Ortiz filed his candidacy ahead of the November 2027 nonpartisan mayoral election. If elected, he would become Orlando’s first Puerto Rican mayor.

GROWING FIELD OF CANDIDATES
Ortiz joins a growing field of candidates that includes State Representative Anna Eskamani, who could become Orlando’s first Iranian American mayor if elected, along with Elliot Kahanna and Abdelnasser Luth.

In his campaign announcement, Ortiz emphasized issues affecting residents across Orlando, including housing affordability, public safety, homelessness, transportation, economic opportunity, and neighborhood stability.

“As the City of Orlando continues to grow and evolve, residents across the city are increasingly focused on the issues that shape everyday life,” Ortiz stated in his campaign announcement.

LAW ENFORCEMENT BACKGROUNDS RESONATE WITH ORANGE COUNTY VOTERS
Political observers note that Orange County voters have historically supported candidates with backgrounds in local, state, and federal law enforcement or public safety roles.

Examples include Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings, former Orange County sheriff; former U.S. Congresswoman Val Demings, former Orlando police chief; former State Senator Victor Torres, a former NYC Transit Police officer; Maitland City Commissioner Keith Givens, a retired FBI agent; former State Representative Daisy Morales, a former HSI official; Apopka City Commissioner Diane Velazquez, a former NYPD officer; and former Orlando City Commissioner Samuel Ings, a former Orlando police officer.

Florida National News Photo

HISTORIC OPPORTUNITY FOR REPRESENTATION
Ortiz’s candidacy highlights the continued growth and political influence of Central Florida’s Puerto Rican community. If successful, his election would mark a historic milestone for Puerto Rican representation in Orlando city government.

Florida

Central Florida Lawmakers Challenge DeSantis Redistricting Map as Lawsuits Mount

Published

6 days ago

May 6, 2026

Willie David

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) — The Central Florida Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials held a press conference on the steps of Orlando City Hall, criticizing a new congressional map signed into law by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

Speakers included U.S. Congressman Maxwell Frost, State Senator Lavon Bracy-Davis, State Representative Bruce Antone, Orange County Clerk of Courts Tiffany Moore Russell, representatives from Equal Ground, and the Central Florida Urban League. Officials argued the map weakens minority representation and follows a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that scaled back key protections under the Voting Rights Act.

Florida National News has learned that three lawsuits have been filed seeking to block the newly approved congressional map following the redistricting process. The map is widely viewed as an effort to expand Republican representation in Florida’s congressional delegation ahead of upcoming elections.

IMPACT ON BLACK REPRESENTATION
Leaders warned the redistricting plan could significantly reduce the influence of Black voters in Central Florida and across the state. They argued that dismantling historically minority-access districts undermines decades of progress in equitable representation.

LEGAL CHALLENGES UNDERWAY
At least three lawsuits have been filed challenging the legality of the new map. Civil rights advocates contend the redistricting plan violates federal protections and could further erode voting rights following the Supreme Court’s recent decision.

FUTURE OF BLACK CONGRESSIONAL LEADERSHIP
Elected officials and advocacy groups expressed concern about the long-term effects on Black congressional representation. They emphasized the need for continued legal action and community engagement to protect fair representation in future elections.

Florida

DeSantis’ New Florida Congressional Map Could Spark Lawsuits, Legislative Showdown, and Statewide Protests

Published

2 weeks ago

April 27, 2026

FNN NEWS

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FNN) — Governor Ron DeSantis unveiled a proposed congressional redistricting map that could significantly reshape Florida’s representation in the U.S. House ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

The proposal, released Monday, outlines districts that could favor Republicans in 24 seats, compared to four Democratic-leaning districts. Currently, Florida’s congressional delegation includes 20 Republicans and seven Democrats, with one vacant seat.

REDISTRICTING PROPOSAL & POLITICAL IMPACT
The governor said the new map reflects Florida’s population changes and fulfills his commitment to mid-decade redistricting. Lawmakers have been called into a special legislative session to consider the proposal.

The map appears to eliminate four Democratic-held seats, including a Tampa-area district represented by U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, an Osceola County district held by U.S. Rep. Darren Soto—the first Puerto Rican elected to Congress from Florida—and a Palm Beach-Broward district that could displace U.S. Rep. Jared Moskowitz.

The proposal also affects a majority-Black voting district spanning Palm Beach and Broward counties, previously represented by former U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, raising concerns about the future of minority representation.

Supporters, including Evan Power, say the map could better align districts with voter distribution. Critics, including Nikki Fried, have called the proposal unconstitutional gerrymandering. Florida law prohibits partisan gerrymandering, setting up potential legal challenges.

Rep. Tray McCurdy, D-Orlando and Rep. Angie Nixon, D-Jacksonville sit on the Florida Seal in protest as debate stops on Senate Bill 2-C: Establishing the Congressional Districts of the State in the House of Representatives Thursday, April 21, 2022 at the Capitol in Tallahassee, Fla. Rep. Daisy Morales, D-Orlando, joins the protest, holding a sign. The session was halted on the protest. (AP Photo/Phil Sears)

LOOKING BACK: 2022 PROTESTS OVER REDISTRICTING
The current debate mirrors tensions from 2022, when Democratic lawmakers staged a sit-in protest on the Florida House floor in opposition to a previous congressional map backed by DeSantis.

Lawmakers including Yvonne Hinson, Angie Nixon, Travaris McCurdy, Felicia Robinson, and Daisy Morales participated in the protest, temporarily halting legislative proceedings.

Morales, a member of the Congressional Redistricting Subcommittee and the only Hispanic lawmaker involved in the sit-in, strongly criticized the map at the time.

“Our democracy is being attacked. The governor eliminating two Black congressional seats is a power grab and it’s wrong,” Morales said in a written statement. “Stripping seats from Black representation is the same as saying the Black voice—the Black vote—doesn’t matter.”

She also warned about potential impacts on Hispanic representation:

“With this map passing, I’m deeply concerned it could target the only Puerto Rican representing Florida in Congress, Darren Soto, to benefit partisan interests. We don’t want to disenfranchise the 1.2 million Puerto Ricans in Florida.”

WHAT COMES NEXT IN 2026
As lawmakers prepare to debate the new proposal, Democrats are expected to push back through legal challenges, legislative opposition, and public advocacy.

The outcome of Florida’s redistricting battle could play a pivotal role in shaping control of the U.S. House and influence the national political landscape heading into the 2026 midterm elections.