President Biden on Friday said he believes the Department of Justice (DOJ) should prosecute individuals who defy congressional subpoenas as part of an investigation into the events surrounding the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
“I hope that the committee goes after them and holds them accountable,” Biden told reporters upon returning to the White House from Connecticut.
Asked if they should be prosecuted, Biden said, “I do, yes.”
A House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection has subpoenaed several aides to former President Trump, including former chief strategist Steve Bannon, former chief of staff Mark Meadows and former deputy chief of staff for communications Dan Scavino.
Trump reportedly advised his former aides to defy the subpoenas and refuse to cooperate. Bannon alerted the committee he did not plan to comply with the subpoena. Meadows also responded to the committee, but the nature of his response was unclear, according to CNN.
Biden and his aides have repeatedly emphasized the need for the DOJ to have independence from the White House after the Trump administration was repeatedly criticized for intervening in agency matters.
“They’re independent. They would determine any decision on criminal prosecutions,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said last week when asked about whether the DOJ should prosecute those who defy the committee’s subpoenas.
Psaki sought to clean up Biden’s comments on Friday in a subsequent tweet.
“As @potus has said many times, January 6th was one of the darkest days in our democracy,” she tweeted. “He supports the work of the committee and the independent role of the Department of Justice to make any decisions about prosecutions.”
Updated at 8:16 p.m.