Kash Patel Given ‘Short Postponement’ to Appear Before Jan. 6 Investigation Committee; Said to be Cooperating

Members of the House Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on Capitol Hill are discussing ways to get Trump loyalists to comply with their subpoenas. The first group — former Pentagon official and longtime House Intelligence Committee aide Kashyap “Kash” Patel and former top White House adviser Steve Bannon, did not appear for depositions today, Oct. 14. While Banon has refused to cooperate, Patel is said to be still engaging with the committee. A late report by the Associated Press said Patel and former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, have been given a “short postponement.”

Meanwhile, committee members have floated the idea of seeking a referral for criminal contempt as the next step for anyone who defies a subpoena from the panel. “I think we are completely of one mind that if people refuse to respond to questions, refuse to produce documents without justification, that we will hold them in criminal contempt and refer them to the Justice Department,” Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), told CNN on Oct. 12. In an interview with CBS on Oct. 14, he said he believes that “one criminal contempt charge will get people’s attention that we’re serious about enforcing these subpoenas.” He added that he hopes that “very few” people “are going to be willing to be prosecuted to serve the corrupt interests of the former president.”

In the letter issued to Patel, the committee, headed by Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), said that based on documents obtained from the Select Committee and published accounts, “there is substantial reason to believe that you have additional documents and information relevant to understanding the role played by the Department of Defense and the White House in preparing for and responding to the attack on the U.S. Capitol, as well as documents and information relating to your personal involvement in planning for events on January 6 and the peaceful transfer of power.” 

Patel issued a statement later on Sept. 23. “I am disappointed, but not surprised, that the Committee tried to subpoena me through the press and violated long-standing protocol — which I upheld as a congressional staffer — by resorting to compulsory process before seeking my voluntary cooperation,” the statement read, as reported by Politico, The New York Times, and other media outlets. “I will continue to tell the truth to the American people about the events of January 6th.”

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Patel was serving as Chief of Staff to Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher C. Miller during the attack after Trump appointed him to replace Mark T. Esper as the top Pentagon official. In that role, he was responsible for leading the secretary’s mission at the department, including his executive staff and providing counsel to the secretary on all matters concerning the department’s operations.

It has been widely reported that Patel was in constant contact with Mark Meadows on the day of the riots. He was also involved “in discussions among senior Pentagon officials before and during the attack regarding security at the Capitol,” The New York Times reported, citing documents provided by the Defense Department.