Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), a member of the committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, uprising, hinted on Sunday there are more revelations in store about the events that led up to the attack on the U.S. Capitol, saying a “comprehensive narrative” would be mapped for the first time when the panel holds its first public hearing this week.
Schiff told host Margaret Brennan on CBS’s “Face the Nation” that Americans have already seen “a number of bombshells” come out of the panel’s investigation — but said more surprises would be revealed on Thursday, including a narrative of the events leading up to Jan. 6.
“Our goal is to present the narrative of what happened in this country, how close we came to losing our democracy, what led to the violence,” Schiff said. “Americans I think know a great deal already — they have seen a number of bombshells already [and] there’s a great deal they haven’t seen. But perhaps the most important is the public has not seen it woven together, how one thing led to another.”
The Jan. 6 panel will hold its first public hearing at 8 p.m. on Thursday. It’s unclear exactly who will be testifying publicly, as the committee has not released the names of any witnesses. Chairperson Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) has said up to eight public hearings could be held throughout June as the panel presents the findings of its investigation, which included more than 1,000 interviews.
The Jan. 6 insurrection saw a mob of pro-Trump supporters storm the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to overturn certification of the 2020 election, which Trump and his allies and supporters continue to claim without evidence was stolen.
While the committee has made headways in its investigation, it has run into roadblocks and some stonewalling.
Peter Navarro, a former Trump adviser, and former White House strategist Stephen Bannon have both defied subpoenas and have been charged by the Department of Justice for violating the court summonses.
Schiff on Sunday said the panel plans to present new findings that show there was a “propensity for violence” as well as a solid narrative of the events that led up to the rioting.
“The effect of the continued propagation of this big lie, to rile up the country and the president’s base was likely to lead to violence,” Schiff said. “So you will see that theme among the narratives that will be exhibited or experienced.”