Jan. 6 committee member Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) on Sunday night said the panel is hoping to hold public hearings starting in April.
Appearing on MSNBC, Raskin said the committee is eager to “reckon with justice.” Raskin said the reason the public hearings haven’t began yet is mostly because of figures in former President Trump’s inner circle who are stonewalling the committee.
“We’ve gotten overwhelming cooperation from the witnesses, but it still leaves more than a dozen people in Trump’s immediate entourage who are sandbagging and foot dragging with the committee,” Raskin said. “And so that’s what slowed us down by a few weeks.”
Raskin noted that despite delays, the committee expects to hold public hearings in the spring.
“But we are determined to get to those hearings quickly in the spring, hoping in April, certainly no later than May,” Raskin said. “And then to get a report out to the American people about what happened.”
Raskin’s comments follow news of the committee reportedly considering holding its upcoming public hearings during primetime hours.
Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), who chairs the committee, told Bloomberg News last month that the panel views the potential decision as a way for the public to have “the best opportunity” to hear testimony and evaluate evidence.
Thompson told Bloomberg News that “maybe a series of hearings” is on the table, which he estimated at the time could happen in late March or early April. Thompson noted that the committee was still “working toward” a set date.
The committee hasn’t fully confirmed whether its upcoming public hearings would be held during primetime hours. That decision would be a novel move; most congressional hearings are held during the day.
Additionally, late last year the committee reportedly considered hosting more dramatic presentations after the panel learned of former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows’ damning texts related to his involvement in Trump’s election efforts.
The committee is aiming to deliver an interim report on the events surrounding the deadly Capitol insurrection well before this year’s midterm elections.
