President Donald Trump on Tuesday evening officially announced the cancellation of a previously planned press conference for January 6 after Senate Republicans expressed their uneasiness about it.
“In light of the total bias and dishonesty of the January 6th Unselect Committee of Democrats, two failed Republicans, and the Fake News Media, I am canceling the January 6th Press Conference at Mar-a-Lago on Thursday, and instead will discuss many of those important topics at my rally on Saturday, January 15th, in Arizona,” Trump said about the cancellation in a statement Tuesday.
Republicans in the Senate are now breathing a sigh of relief.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” said Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.) when asked about the press conference earlier Tuesday. “I guess it depends on what he’s going to say. But early assumptions are that it’s going to be an aggressive statement. I just don’t think it’s a good idea.”
Similarly, Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) said she wanted to “stay focused on congressional activities.”
And Senator Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), who voted to convict Trump during the second impeachment trial, said the event wasn’t a “terribly good idea,” but added, “What am I going to do about it?”
Many Republicans on Capitol Hill want to avoid further discussion on the question of voter fraud in the 2020 election, and they fear President Trump’s remarks about January 6 would rekindle the discussion.
“It’s a free country and you’re entitled to say whatever you want to say subject to some limitations, but I think the country has moved on,” said Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas). “I think that’s where we ought to focus our efforts, is on getting things done for the American people and not re-litigating issues that have already been decided.”
In addition to addressing the 2020 election, President Trump had been expected to slam the House select committee’s investigation into January 6.
In contrast to their colleagues in the Senate, some House Republicans welcomed the prospect of hearing President Trump speak on January 6.
On Fox News on Monday night, Laura Ingraham asked Representatives Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Jim Banks (R-Ind.) if it was “smart” for Trump to do a speech on January 6.
“I welcome it. President Trump has important things to say,” Banks replied. “I’m looking forward to hearing what President Trump has to say.”
President Trump’s remarks would have countered those of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, who are both scheduled to speak at the Capitol Thursday.
The January 6 Committee has continued its probe, issuing subpoenas and “voluntary cooperation” requests to many key Trump allies.
On Tuesday, the panel asked radio and Fox News host Sean Hannity for his cooperation, citing “dozens” of his text messages sent to and from former Trump White House chief of staff Mark Meadows that indicate that he had “advance knowledge regarding President Trump’s and his legal team’s planning for January 6th.”
The committee said it has texts from Hannity pushing back on the plan to urge Congress to challenge the certification of the election on January 6 and urging Trump to prepare for his departure from the presidency.
On January 5, Hannity wrote that he was “very worried about the next 48 hours.”
In its letter to Hannity, the committee asked, “With the counting of the electoral votes scheduled for January 6th at 1 p.m., why were you concerned about the next 48 hours?”
Also on Tuesday, the select committee’s chairman, Bennie Thompson, called on former Vice President Mike Pence to speak to the panel.
“I would hope that he would do the right thing and come forward and voluntarily talk to the committee,” Thompson said.
Meanwhile, the office of New York Attorney General Letitia James confirmed this week that it recently issued subpoenas seeking testimony and documents from Donald Trump, Donald Trump, Jr., and Ivanka Trump.
“Despite their names, they must play by the same rules as everyone else. These delay tactics will not stop us from following the facts or the law, which is why we will be asking the court to compel Donald Trump, Donald Trump Jr., and Ivanka Trump to testify with our office under oath,” James said in a statement after the Trumps moved to block the subpoenas.
