Leader of special House committee on Jan. 6 makes clear Trump, inner circle not 'off limits'

Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson, leader of the special House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, says his probe will extend to former President Trump's inner circle including administration officials and Republican allies in Congress.

"Nothing is off limits," Thompson on Tuesday told The Guardian newspaper about possible efforts to depose the staffers and congressional Republicans. 

However, Thompson made clear the primary focus of the probe will be the facts and circumstances surrounding the attack. 

The first hearing is set for July 27.

Thompson, chairman of the so-called “select” committee House Speaker Nancy Pelosi created to investigate the attack, also said he committee is prepared to use its subpoena power to get Trump officials connected to the attack to testify, if they refuse to speak voluntarily, according to The Guardian.

He said the call between Trump and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy amid the attack will likely be part of the probe. 

"There will not be a reluctance on the part of the committee to pursue it," he said of the call.

"The committee will want to know if there is a record of what was said," said Thompson, who also leads the chamber’s Homeland Security committee. "If somebody spoke to the president on January 6, I think it would be important for our committee to know what was said. I can’t imagine you talk about anything else to the president on January 6."