- Rep. Elise Stefanik is trying to get ahead of the January 6 select committee's public hearings.
- Stefanik, a Trump ally, accuses the committee of being performative by setting prime time hearings.
- After months of closed-door investigations, the panel will hold the first of its public hearings this week.
House Republican Conference Chair and Donald Trump ally Elise Stefanik this weekend tried to get ahead of the January 6 select committee's public hearings by portraying the prime-time slotting of Thursday's high-profile presentation as proof that Democratic leaders are more interested in putting on a show than uncovering the truth.
House Republicans have attacked the legitimacy of the panel, which includes GOP Reps. Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, since its creation last year. Stefanik, who the New York Post reports is scheduled to join the twice-impeached former president Monday night for a fundraiser at his golf club in Briarcliff Manor, New York, added the timing of Thursday night's hearing to the GOP's laundry list of complaints about the politically charged investigation during an interview with right-leaning Breitbart News.
"Most committees in Congress start in the morning. That's the business hours," Stefanik said on June 4. But airing this committee's year-long investigation into the deadly siege at the US Capitol just in time for highlights to make the nightly news, Stefanik said, shows that "all they care about is trying to take back the narrative to try and target patriotic Trump supporters across the country."
—Rep. Elise Stefanik (@RepStefanik) June 4, 2022
The January 6 committee is tentatively expected to hold six public hearings this month, starting with the agenda-setting meeting at 8 p.m. on June 9. Recent media reports have outlined Trump's swirling counterprogramming plans, a team effort that's projected to include Stefanik, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, House Freedom Caucus members, MAGA-friendly media outlets, and Trump's fledgling social media channel.
Some House Freedom Caucus members are heading to Trump's summer home in Bedminster, New Jersey Tuesday to talk strategy, according to Politico. The group includes Reps. Andy Biggs of Arizona, Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, and Matt Rosendale of Montana.
All three House Republicans voted to overturn the 2020 election results at the behest of Trump. Biggs and Perry have been subpoenaed by the January 6 select committee to discuss what they know about the day's events. Meanwhile, Trump has so far rewarded Perry and Rosendale with his endorsement ahead of their respective GOP primaries.
In addition to headlining multiple fundraisers for her, Trump also previously floated a Stefanik presidential bid in 2028 — presumably after his likely rematch with Joe Biden in 2024.