An attorney for some of the rioters who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6 is hinting that her clients are about to spill the beans on what she calls the “kings and queens” who organized the insurrection.
According to Politico, Heather Shaner, who represents several of the defendants who have been charged in connection with the Capitol riots, is helping the committee get a better picture of everyone who was involved in the violence:
Shaner also revealed that she helped connect the committee with another source — not one of her clients — who claimed to have information related to associates of Alex Jones, the far right broadcaster who helped promote pro-Trump election conspiracy theories.
Shaner told NBC News that her intent is to make sure her clients aren’t made to pay for the crimes of other, more senior members of the group that planned the attempted coup on the same day Congress was meeting to certify the Electoral College votes from last November’s election which was overwhelmingly won by President Joe Biden:
“We want to see the queens and kings prosecuted not the pawns.”
The Jan. 6 Select Committee has also been hearing testimony from others who have been charged with crimes connected to the insurrection, Politico notes:
The committee has been interviewing and collecting documents from those involved in planning the rallies, though it’s unclear if all of the depositions have gone forward. A deposition set for Friday with a former Justice Department official who aided Trump’s effort to overturn the election was postponed after he switched attorneys.
Several former Trump administration officials — i.e. Steve Bannon and former Chief of Staff Mark Meadows — have also been subpoenaed for documents and testimony regarding what if any role they may have played in the attack on the Capitol building. Despite the subpoena, Bannon is refusing to comply and has been charged by the Justice Department with criminal contempt of Congress.
