Former Trump Chief of Staff Meadows changes stance, is cooperating with Democrat-led Jan 6 probe

Meadows had previously refused to comply with a subpoena from the committee
Mark Meadows CPAC
By Sophie Mann

Former Trump White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows is cooperating with the Democrat-led House committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. 

He has produced records requested by the select committee and soon provide an initial deposition, Mississippi Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson, the committee chairman, said in a statement Tuesday obtained by ABC News. 

"Mr. Meadows has been engaging with the Select Committee through his attorney," Thompson wrote. "The committee will continue to assess his degree of compliance with our subpoena after the deposition."

Though he has agreed to sit before the committee, Meadows, among Trump's most loyal former aides, could still claim executive privilege to protect some pieces of information. 

Meadows, also a former North Carolina congressman, had previously refused to comply with the subpoena, which was issued in September. He has argued that he is exempt from compelled congressional testimony on subjects related to his official White House duties. The panel, in response, threatened Meadows with a contempt-of-Congress vote.

In addition to the contempt-of-Congress charge that has now been leveled against former Trump adviser Steve Bannon, the committee is currently moving to hold top Trump Justice Department official Jeffrey Clark in contempt-of-Congress for failing to comply with a subpoena.