Jan. 6 Committee prepares for Wednesday’s public hearing into Capitol riot

WASHINGTON, D.C. (NBC) – We are learning more about what to expect from the January 6 public hearing this Wednesday.

It’s the first hearing in more than two months and it comes after a surprising claim about a phone call between someone at the White House that day and a rioter.

The January 6 Committee told NBC News the former lawmaker making that claim had “limited knowledge” of the committee’s investigation. The allegation came from a former Republican congressman who once served on the January 6 Committee.

We still don’t know many details, including who placed the call from the White House to a Capitol rioter or where it fits into the January 6 Committee investigation. But committee members said it’s just one of a thousand details they are aware of.

The bombshell claim connects the Trump White House and a rioter on capitol grounds during the January 6 insurrection.

Former Representative Denver Riggleman (R-Va.) revealed call details between the White House and a rioter in a 60 Minutes interview. He said, “When you see that the White House switchboard had connected to a rioter’s phone while it’s happening, that’s a pretty big a-ha moment. You get an a-ha.”

Riggleman once served on the January 6 committee’s staff. NBC News reached out to Riggleman for comment.

January 6 Committee members confirm the call happened.

“We are aware of it,” said committee member Jaimie Raskin (D-MD). “And we are aware of lots of contacts between people in the White House and different people that were involved obviously in the coup attempt.”

The panel holds what could be its final public hearing Wednesday.

They say former President Donald Trump and his allies spread false claims about election fraud, inciting the mob that stormed the Capitol

Congressman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) said, “It will be the usual mix of information in the public domain and new information woven together to tell the story about one key thematic element of Donald Trump’s effort to overturn the election.”

Former President Trump slammed the committee’s work as an effort to distract voters ahead of midterm elections. He said, “But the radical Democrats don’t care about prosecuting violent criminals. They only care about persecuting Republicans or conservatives.”

January 6 Committee members say possible criminal referrals could come from their investigation. They plan to release a final report on their findings. No word on whether that will come before voters cast their ballots this November

January 6 Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson said he does expect Wednesday’s hearing to be the last. But committee members say if more information emerges there could be more hearings.

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