Jan. 6 committee votes to subpoena former President Donald Trump - NBC News

WASHINGTON — The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 onslaught connected the Capitol voted unanimously Thursday to subpoena erstwhile President Donald Trump.

Members of the panel, which held what was expected to beryllium its last hearing earlier the midterm elections Thursday, had antecedently said that they were inactive considering seeking an interrogation with Trump oregon erstwhile Vice President Mike Pence. Sources acquainted with the committee's plans told NBC News of the subpoena earlier Thursday.

The panel's chair, Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., said the committee had an "obligation" to perceive from Trump.

"This is simply a question astir accountability to the American people. He indispensable beryllium accountable. He is required to reply for his actions. He’s required to reply to those constabulary officers who enactment their lives and bodies connected the enactment to support our democracy. He’s required to reply to those millions of Americans whose votes helium wanted to propulsion retired arsenic portion of his strategy to stay successful power," Thompson said, acknowledging the determination arsenic a "serious and bonzer action."

The solution to subpoena Trump passed with the enactment of each members, 9-0.

The solution was introduced by the panel's vice seat Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., who called Trump the riot's "central player."

A root acquainted with the committee's plans told NBC News the sheet plans to contented the subpoena successful the coming days.

The sheet is connected a choky timeframe — the subpoena volition expire astatine the extremity of this legislature term, and Trump is apt to situation it.

The subpoena comes much than a twelvemonth aft the committee began investigating the insurrection and contempt aggregate members of Congress antecedently acknowledging that it was improbable Trump would comply.

Supporters of then-President Donald Trump tempest the Capitol connected Jan. 6, 2021. Samuel Corum / Getty Images file

Still, subpoenaing the erstwhile president had been nether information for a portion and has been an progressive taxable of treatment among committee members. On his mode to the proceeding Thursday, Thompson told reporters the sheet had not yet ruled retired a subpoena for Trump.

Thompson said astatine the opening of Thursday's proceeding that the sheet had convened arsenic a ceremonial committee concern meeting, truthful that, successful summation to presenting evidence, “We tin perchance clasp a committee ballot connected further investigative enactment based upon that evidence.”

In its wide-ranging investigation, the sheet has already conducted much than 1,000 interviews and depositions. It has besides received hundreds of thousands of documents and immoderate 100 subpoenas are known to person been issued.

Thursday's proceeding erstwhile again placed Trump astatine the halfway of plans to overturn the predetermination — which yet led to the bloodshed connected Jan. 6, Cheney said successful her opening statement.

Then-President Trump speaks to supporters from the Ellipse connected Jan. 6, 2021.Brendan Smialowski / AFP via Getty Images file

"None of this would person happened without him. He was personally and substantially progressive successful each of it," she said. "Today, we volition absorption connected President Trump’s authorities of mind, his intent, his motivations, and however helium spurred others to bash his bidding. And however different Jan. 6 could hap again if we bash not instrumentality indispensable enactment to forestall it."

Cheney besides said that the committee "may yet determine to marque a bid of transgression referrals to the Department of Justice," though she said that lawmakers "recognize that our relation is not to marque decisions regarding prosecution."

Trump would not beryllium the archetypal erstwhile president subpoenaed by Congress. Several sitting and erstwhile presidents and vice presidents person besides testified earlier legislature committees, including Presidents Abraham Lincoln, Woodrow Wilson and Gerald R. Ford.

It's unclear if the committee volition question to interrogation Pence, who blocked Trump's effort connected Jan. 6 to overturn the 2020 statesmanlike predetermination and who faced threats of being hanged that day.

In August, Pence said during an lawsuit successful New Hampshire that helium would see testifying earlier the House Jan. 6 committee if invited to appear, but helium suggested helium would request to benignant retired immoderate law questions earlier committing.

"If ever immoderate ceremonial invitation were rendered to us, we’d springiness it owed consideration," he said.

Thompson had antecedently suggested that Thursday would beryllium the committee's last hearing, but respective of its members precocious person said that mightiness not beryllium the case.

When asked connected MSNBC's "Morning Joe" whether determination volition beryllium further hearings, Rep. Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla., said the probe "has its ain life, and we support uncovering caller information."