Jan. 6 panel grapples with how to secure testimony from lawmakers, Pence

Scott Perry (R-Pa.) and Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), could help the committee complete a comprehensive picture of President Donald Trump’s role in the Capitol insurrection and the extent of his influence on efforts to disrupt the official certification of Joe Biden’s victory.But all three lawmakers have refused to cooperate, leading the Jan. 6 committee to weigh whether it should issue subpoenas to sitting members of Congress, a step taken only rarely in the past.The panel is divided on whether to pursue such subpoenas, in part over fears that a protracted legal fight would delay the committee’s goal of issuing a report ahead of the November midterms, according to people familiar with the debate who spoke on the condition of anonymity to reveal internal discussions.Some members of the committee, including Vice Chair Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), have signaled an aggressive posture while others, including Chairman Bennie G. Thompson (D-Miss.), have sounded notes of skepticism that such subpoenas could be enforced.At the same time, the panel has begun preliminary discussions with Pence over how to obtain his account of events, including the sustained pressure he received from Trump and other Republicans to block certification of Biden’s election victory.There has been little public discussion of calling Trump as a witness or moving to secure his account of events, but “nothing has been ruled out,” a committee staffer said.For Pence, the committee’s goal would be to get the former vice president to answer questions under oath, ideally in public. Short’s attorney, Emmet Flood, has been involved in negotiations with the committee about the line of questioning for him, according to people familiar with the discussion.As for Pence, his attorney has suggested alternatives to being questioned under oath, such as written responses to questions or a proffer from the former vice president’s legal team.The committee wants information on a broad range of topics, including the pressure placed on Pence by Trump and his allies to block the electoral certification on Jan. 6 and personnel moves at the Justice Department, according to a person with knowledge of the committee’s requests.