Published: October 16, 2021
By: Ronny Reyes
- President Joe Biden said he would like to see the Department of Justice go after those who refuse to comply with the Jan. 6 select committee
- The DOJ rebuked the president's remarks and said it would make 'its own independent decisions' regarding congressional subpoenas
- Press Secretary Jen Psaki went on the defensive and tried to clarify Biden's statement, saying he supports the DOJ's independent role
- It comes as former Donald Trump ally Steve Bannon failed to testify on Thursday, citing that he was protected by Trump's executive privilege
- The select committee plans to hold Bannon in criminal contempt
The US Department of Justice slammed President Joe Biden after he urged the Jan. 6 riot select committee to prosecute those who refuse to comply with a congressional subpoena.
As he was leaving Washington D.C. on Friday, Biden told reporters he hopes the committee 'goes after them and holds them accountable.'
When a CNN reporter asked if they should be prosecuted, Biden said, 'I do, yes.'
Now the White House is in damage control move over the president's statement as DOJ spokesperson Anthony Coley gave a blunt response to Biden's plea.
'The Department of Justice will make its own independent decisions in all prosecutions based solely on the facts and the law. Period. Full stop,' Coley said.
Biden's comments upended days of discipline from the White House, which had been distancing itself from the committee's expected criminal contempt referral against former Donald Trump ally Steven Bannon, who is refusing to comply with a subpoena.
Press Secretary Jen Psaki attempted to clarify Biden's statement on Twitter, writing that the president supports the independent role of the DOJ.
'As @potus has said many times, January 6th was one of the darkest days in our democracy. He supports the work of the committee and the independent role of the Department of Justice to make any decisions about prosecutions,' Psaki tweeted.
Bannon has refused to comply with a Jan. 6 committee subpoena, citing that Trump had allegedly invoked executive privilege to defend Bannon from testifying.
Trump has said he will exert executive privilege to resist any cooperation with the select committee.
'Mr. Bannon has declined to cooperate with the Select Committee and is instead hiding behind the former President's insufficient, blanket, and vague statements regarding privileges he has purported to invoke,' Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, who chairs the committee, said in a statement following Bannon's no-show.
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