“To ensure the integrity of our investigation, the U.S.S.S. must not engage in any further investigative activities regarding the collection and preservation of the evidence referenced above,” the Homeland Security Department’s deputy inspector general, Gladys Ayala, wrote to James M. Murray, the director of the Secret Service. “This includes immediately refraining from interviewing potential witnesses, collecting devices or taking any other action that would interfere with an ongoing criminal investigation.”

The mention of a potential criminal investigation into the deleted texts of Secret Service personnel sought by Congress and the inspector general suggested the growing seriousness of the scrutiny into the agency’s handling of records from around the time of the attack on the Capitol.

Donald Trump sat for hours watching the attack on the US Capitol unfold on live TV on 6 January 2021, ignoring pleas by his children and other close advisers to urge his supporters to stop the violence, witnesses told a congressional hearing on Thursday.

Photo: AFP

The House of Representatives Select Committee used its eighth hearing this summer to detail what members said was Trump’s failure to act for the 187 minutes between the end of his inflammatory speech at a rally urging supporters to march on the Capitol, and the release of a video telling them to go home.

“President Trump sat at his dining table and watched the attack on television while his senior-most staff, closest advisers and family members begged him to do what is expected of any American president,” said Representative Elaine Luria, a Democratic committee member.

The panel played videotaped testimony from White House aides and security staff discussing the events of the day.

Former White House counsel Pat Cipollone was asked question after question in the recorded testimony about whether Trump took this action or that action – did he call the secretary of defence? Did he call the US attorney general? Did he call the head of Homeland Security? Cipollone answered “no” to each query.

Source: Trump watched US Capitol riot unfold on TV, ignored pleas to call for peace | RNZ News

Source: Almost Every House Republican Just Voted Against Protecting the Right to Contraception – Mother Jones

Source: Anti-Section 8 policy will push many Black residents out of Texas suburb | The Texas Tribune

The White House is set to announce on Thursday that 1.6 million Californian households have enrolled in an affordable internet program that was made possible by the bipartisan infrastructure law President Biden signed in November.

The affordable internet program enables households to cut their monthly internet bill by up to $30 per month. Households on tribal lands can cut their costs by up to $75 per month. California has the highest number of enrollees of any state, according to the White House.

Source: 1.6 million California households enrolled in affordable internet program – Los Angeles Times