A top Democrat lawmaker claimed that Department of Justice "carryovers" from the Trump administration could prevent prosecution of former President Donald Trump and others for alleged improprieties related to Jan. 6, 2021.
House Majority Whip James Clyburn, D-S.C., told CNN on Monday he had "some concerns" about whether the Justice Department, under Attorney General Merrick Garland, will perform its duties sufficiently.
"I'm not going to zero in on the prosecution of Donald Trump. I do have some concerns about what seems to be some reticence coming from the department as to how to ratchet up these investigations," Clyburn told CNN on Monday.
He then discussed voters' concerns about events surrounding the Jan. 6 Capitol attack without mentioning Trump by name.
"I just came out of a primary election here in South Carolina. I got elected — renominated last week," Clyburn told CNN. "And I'm talking to voters. I've been in Florida, Georgia, Connecticut, New Jersey, Michigan, all in the last 30 days, and I'm telling you, people are concerned that the Department of Justice may have too many carryovers from the last administration and [is] not moving in order to do what's needed to protect this democracy."
Clyburn, who is not a member of Speaker Nancy Pelosi's Jan. 6 select committee, was asked if he is worried about the Justice Department being restrained.
"Yes, I am," he told the network. "There's no question about that. I've talked to my constituents, and I get a lot of my marching orders from them. They're concerned — so am I."
Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., a member of the partisan Jan. 6 panel that's comprised of Democrats and two anti-Trump Republicans, told CNN on Sunday that the select committee will present evidence this week that Trump was involved in a failed bid to submit slates of fake electors to overturn the 2020 election.
The Washington Post reported that committee members planned to present evidence Tuesday, when the hearings resumed at 1 p.m. ET.
Garland has said he will be watching the proceedings closely.
"I will be sure that I am watching all of it. And I can assure you that the January 6 prosecutors are watching all of the hearings as well," Garland said, the Washington Examiner reported.
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