WATCH: Mark Meadows Responds To January 6 Committee Making Criminal Referral Against Him | Eastern North Carolina Now

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    Mark Meadows, former President Donald Trump's chief of staff, responded to the Democratic-led House select committee investigating the January 6 riot that referred him to the Department of Justice for prosecution for alleged criminal contempt on Monday by suggesting that the referral was not legitimate.

    NPR reported:

    Meadows had initially cooperated with the panel and turned over thousands of emails and text messages, but he reversed course last week, saying a day before he was due to appear for a deposition that he would no longer be cooperating with the probe.

    Meadows appeared on Fox News with host Sean Hannity to push back on the criminal referral, saying that it was "disappointing, but not surprising."

    Meadows said that the referral was not about him or making the Capital safer and that it was about "Donald Trump and about actually going after him once again, continuing to go after Donald Trump."

    "And when we look at the real results of this investigation, it is not really - the foundation is not based on a legislative purpose," he continued. "Listen, they want to talk about the part that fits their narrative and what we do know in one of the things that is coming out more and more clearly each and every day is is that everyone condemned what happened in terms of the breach of security on the Capitol on January 6th."

    "I can say this: that when you look at the criminal component of this, the intent, there's never been an intent on my part," Meadows said. "I've tried to share non-privileged information. "But truly, the executive privilege that Donald Trump has claimed is his to waive. It's not mine to waive. It's not Congress's to waive. And that's why we filed the lawsuit to hopefully get the courts to weigh in. Hopefully, they'll weigh in."

    WATCH:

   

    TRANSCRIPT:

    SEAN HANNITY, FOX NEWS HOST: All right. Also tonight, more antics from the Democrat sham January 6 Committee. We've been telling you, this is a waste of your time and money. They have a predetermined outcome and, by the way, it lacks any serious investigation.

    And breaking tonight, the committee voted to send a criminal contempt of Congress resolution to the House for former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows for failing to comply with a sham subpoena, documents he says are protected by executive privilege. That would need to be played out in the courts.

    We are now learning about an email from the former chief of staff that said the National Guard was on standby to protect, quote, pro-Trump people, and don't forget, President Trump requested increased National Guard support in the days leading up to the - to January 6.

    The request was rejected, by Pelosi, by congressional leaders, including request, by the way, from the Capitol police chief.

    Here with reaction, author of - it's in bookstores everywhere, Amazon.com, Hannity.com. I read the book cover to cover, it's worth - you've got to get a copy. It's an insider's view that actually is fair to Donald Trump, what a rarity. "The Chief's Chief", Mark Meadows.

    First, I guess I'll get your reaction to the January 6 vote 9-0 that will now go before the House. But we already know this is a predetermined outcome. Didn't we learn that when they kicked Jim Jordan and Jim Banks off the committee?

    MARK MEADOWS, FORMER WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF: Well, we did. Obviously, it's disappointing, but not surprising. And let's be clear about this, Sean, this is not about me - holding me in contempt. It's not even about making the Capital safer. We see that by some of the selective leaks that are going on right now.

    This is about Donald Trump and about actually going after him once again continuing to go after Donald Trump. And when we look at the real results of this investigation, it is not really - the foundation is not based on a legislative purpose.

    HANNITY: You know, I'm looking at the interpretation of this biased committee, Liz Cheney and company. I love how Liz has now partnered with the people that called her father a war criminal, a murderer and a crook - pretty amazing.

    And I'm looking at this committee and they're acting as though somehow, it's nefarious. You have massive crowds coming to Washington. We just came out of the summer of 2020. Now, they're not investigating the 500 riots that killed dozens of Americans, hurt thousands of cops, caused billions in property damage, Liz Cheney and company have no interest in those riots. I condemn them all equally on this program.

    But what I want to know is, you know, as if it's a bad thing after coming out of the summer of 2020 saying, okay, there might be troublemakers here. We need to protect the Capitol.

    You asked for it before the rally on January 6. The president asked for it. The Capitol police chief asked for it. And we now have reports of whistle-blowers telling us as National Guard members, they were told to stand down when they wanted to go in and stop the trouble.

    I don't hear them talking about that part.

    MEADOWS: Yeah, I - well, listen, they want to talk about the part that fits their narrative and what we do know in one of the things that is coming out more and more clearly each and every day is is that everyone condemned what happened in terms of the breach of security on the Capitol on January 6th.

    But what we also know is that President Trump wanted to make sure that the people that came, that there was a safe environment for that - that kind of assembly. And I've said that publicly before, the 10,000 National Guard troops that he wanted to make sure that everything was safe and secure.

    And yet, the way that some of the Democrats are spinning this, trying to spin some nefarious purpose I think at the end of the day, they're going - they're going to find that not only did the president act, but he acted quickly. And in doing all of that, it's important, you know, with this contempt vote that's coming out tomorrow, there's a high - very high probability that they will refer me for criminal contempt to DOJ.

    But there's - you know, this -

    (CROSSTALK)

    HANNITY: What will you do? What will you do, Cong - what will you do, Congressman?

    MEADOWS: Well, I mean, at this point - at this point, Sean, you know, it will be turned over to the hands of DOJ. I can say this: that when you look at the criminal component of this, the intent, there's never been an intent on my part. I've tried to share non-privileged information.

    But truly, the executive privilege that Donald Trump has claimed is his to waive. It's not mine to waive. It's not Congress's to waive.

    And that's why we filed the lawsuit to hopefully get the courts to weigh in. Hopefully, they'll weigh in.

    HANNITY: Well, before they did this to Steve Bannon, the last time they had done this - hold somebody in contempt of Congress - was 1983. President - I notice they haven't been focused on President Trump's actual words at the rally that day.

    Many of you will now peacefully and patriotically march the capital so your voices may be heard.

    I didn't hear it in any of that, Congressman, many of you will march peacefully, and - not peacefully and not patriotically and invade the Capital.

    Now, the fact that they are ignoring your request, they're ignoring the president's request, they're ignoring the Capitol police chief's request earlier for support from the National Guard, which is especially after the summer of 2020, that's just good common sense. That's smart policing. That's for the protection of everybody.

    MEADOWS: Well - you're exactly right. And, obviously - obviously, having those National Guards available - actually, the reason they were able to respond when they did was because President Trump had actually put them on alert.

    But I would also want to comment on one other thing. If we look at senior officials, chiefs of staff and those senior to the president of the United States, compelling them to come in and testify and what we're seeing now, there's lots of jurisprudence and at least legal opinions and law that would suggest that that's not something that should be in the purview of Congress.

    So, hopefully, the courts will weigh in.

    HANNITY: Well, I've got a question. You know, I said that day and I've said it now and - and I mean it, we are a country of law and order. We have to be.

    Now, with that said, I want to get to the bottom of it. I want to know why the Guard was told to stand down, one. I want to know why your request, why President Trump's request for the Guard knowing what happened in the summer of 2020 was denied.

    And I would like an answer to why we had 500 riots in the summer of 2020, dozens of Americans dead, thousands of cops injured, billions of dollars of property damage, arson and looting. Where's that committee, Congressman? I'd like to see that committee.

    MEADOWS: Well - yeah, that committee is not there and, obviously, there's a political narrative that really focuses on Donald Trump as the 45th president of the United States and sadly, when we look at what is to be accomplished, I'm not sure that this committee is set up to do that.

    HANNITY: All right. We appreciate it and thanks for being with us. We're going to watch this very closely.

    And coming up, Biden's failed policies have created a labor shortage and stores are beginning to reduce their hours as a result. "Dirty Jobs" host, our friend Mike Rowe, is next, as we continue.

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