U.S. Capitol riot panel plans at least eight public hearings in June By Reuters

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump gather at the west entrance of the Capitol during a “Stop the Steal” protest outside of the Capitol building in Washington D.C. U.S. January 6, 2021. Picture taken January 6, 2021. REUTERS/Stephanie Ke

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Congress’s official probe into the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the Capitol by Donald Trump’s supporters plans to hold at least eight public hearings in June, some during “prime time” television evening hours, its chairperson said on Thursday.

Democratic Representative Bennie Thompson, who leads the House of Representatives Select Committee on Jan. 6, told reporters at the Capitol some of the hearings would take place during normal workday hours and some in the evening.

He had said earlier this week that the panel, which had planned public hearings in May, now planned hearings in June, before issuing a report in early autumn, which would be before the November mid-term elections.

The committee is trying to establish then-President Trump’s actions while thousands of his supporters attacked police, vandalized the Capitol and sent members of Congress and then-Vice President Mike Pence running for their lives.

Congress had been meeting to formally certify Democrat Joe Biden’s defeat of the Republican Trump in the November 2020 presidential election.

More than 900 people, including many Trump White House aides, have been interviewed in the committee’s investigation.