This Jan. 6, 2021 file photo shows protests by President Donald Trump at the U.S. Capitol. The House committee is investigating Jan. 6's insurrection at Capitol. They are asking social media companies and telecommunications companies for phone records of hundreds of people who could have been involved in planning to delay, challenge or interfere with President Joe Biden's victory. AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana. File
Two weeks ago, the January 6 select committee stated that it would seek electronic records from "several thousand people," which includes members of Congress.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) claimed that any company that gives records to the committee will "shut down."
Many companies were contacted by House Republicans to request that records of Democrats be preserved, including Amazon, Apple and Google.
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Fox Business reported that Rep. Andy Biggs from Arizona and other House Republicans wrote Tuesday to 14 telecom companies, asking them to keep the data and phone records of 16 Democrats. This was so that future Congresses could investigate any alleged violations.
Two weeks after the Jan 6 select committee declared it would seek electronic communications records from "several thousand people," which includes members of Congress, the letters were sent.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene blasted the episode on "Tucker Carlson Tonight" August 31, and threatened any company that gave records to the committee with being "shut down."
In subsequent letters to Jack Dorsey, Republican representatives echo this sentiment. Rep. Paul Gosar tweeted one of the letters: "The US Constitution prohibits committees from obtaining such records and prohibits them from providing them. Simply put, neither you nor the committee have the legal authority required to provide these records.
According to legal experts, there is no law that prohibits these companies from giving information to the committee.
-Rep Andy Biggs (@RepAndyBiggsAZ) September 8, 2021
Other companies received letters, such as Amazon, AOL, Apple, AT&T, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Snap, Inc., T-Mobile, US Cellular, Verizon, Signal, Telegram.
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Fox Business reported that if the companies agree to hand over records to the January 6, select committee, they were also asked to preserve records of several Democrats including Vice President Kamala Hariri, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Chairman Jerry Nadler of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Alexandria OcasioCortez and Rep. Eric Swalwell.
Jody Hice and Matt Gaetz, Scott Perry and Louie Gohmert were Republican Representatives. They joined Madison Cawthorn and Biggs Greene and Gosar to sign the letter to Dorsey.
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