NW Atlanta News

U.S. Representative Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) has confirmed that he shared evidence with the Georgia District Attorney in relation to investigations involving former President Trump, a move that has led to accusations of non-compliance with House rules from the GOP. U.S. Representative Barry Loudermilk (R-GA) voiced concerns over this lack of transparency, suggesting potential concealment of vital information and emphasizing the need for full disclosure and adherence to House regulations.

Loudermilk was quoted as saying, "Rep. Bennie Thompson admitted that he and Liz Cheney sent ‘evidence’ to GA DA Fani Willis, but he’s keeping it from @HouseGOP". He added, "He didn’t follow House rules and now he’s refusing to tell us which records he sent". Loudermilk concluded his statement by asking, "What are House Dems trying to hide?"

According to The Washington Times, Thompson responded to Loudermilk's accusations: "As stated in its Final Report, the bipartisan Select Committee transmitted its evidence of potential crimes to prosecutors conducting concurrent, independent investigations of then-President Trump’s multi-part conspiracy to overturn the legitimate results of the 2020 Presidential election and the deadly January 6th insurrection."

Loudermilk's quote | X

The Washington Times also reported that Republicans launched an inquiry in early December into whether documents were transmitted by the Select Committee to Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. Willis is a Democrat who is prosecuting Donald Trump and others on charges related to attempts to overturn Georgia's 2020 election results. This sparked requests from Loudermilk and House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan for documents relating to any collaboration between the Georgia prosecutor's office and the committee. These requests followed reports that significant evidence regarding Trump's and his advisers' knowledge about Georgia's election results had been shared by the Select Committee. The Washington Times further reported that initially Thompson denied that the Select Committee had responded to Willis’ request.

In a press release by the Judiciary Committee, Loudermilk was quoted as saying: "The coordination between Fulton County, GA District Attorney Fani Willis, and Pelosi's January 6 Select Committee, should be concerning to everyone. This new information raises questions about Willis' and Thompson's commitment to due process, and whether House Rules were violated when the Select Committee failed to properly disclose this material. We have serious concerns about this behavior and we are seeking the truth." In a letter to Thompson, Loudermilk requested detailed information by December 11, 2023, regarding communications, depositions, records shared, and guidance received on preserving interview recordings.