Members of the Jan. 6 House Select Committee met with former Trump Justice official Jeffrey Clark for 90 minutes.
It was a waste of time.
Clark and his attorney walked out of the room several times and refused to answer any questions. End of story.
All the buildup on how the committee would hold Trump and his minions to task if they didn't cooperate was a mirage. Maybe it was just hopeful thinking expressed out loud.
What's particularly frustrating is Clark wasn't even one of the insurrectionists claiming executive privilege while ignoring subpoenas. His resistance will probably be the template for future Trumpies called to testify.
I'm seriously wondering if this select panel can get anyone to testify.
After the Senate Judiciary Committee shared it's report on how Trump and his allies pressured the DOJ to overturn the 2020 election, the pivotal figure who emerged was Clark.
Yet, he gave the select committee the finger and proudly left the building.
I don't know for sure, but I suspect Clark just kept claiming his 5th Amendment rights to keep his flap shut, and that short-circuited any fact-finding.
So...where does that leave the committee's investigation?
Between Trump's stonewalling in the courts and minions perfectly happy to lie for him, the prospect of the committee accomplishing it's goal get dimmer by the day.
All the Republicans have to do is stall for time and gamble that they'll get the House back in the midterms. If that happens the committee shrivels up and lands in history's dustbin of good intentions.
I feel like our democracy is slip-sliding away under the authoritarian assault from Trump and his cult followers.
May God have mercy on this republic.
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