House Jan. 6 committee is seeking Sean Hannity's cooperation

The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot would like to speak with Fox News host Sean Hannity, telling him in a letter sent Tuesday that they have "no doubt that you love our country and respect our Constitution. Now is the time to step forward and serve the interests of your country."

The letter, signed by the committee's chair, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), and vice chair, Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), is asking for Hannity's voluntary cooperation, and notes that they will not be asking him for any information on his political views or Fox News show. Rather, the panel has received evidence that he had "relevant communications while the riot was underway and in the days thereafter. These communications make you a fact witness in our investigation."

Material that has been turned over to the committee also shows that Hannity "had advance knowledge regarding President Trump's and his legal team's planning for Jan. 6th," Thompson and Cheney wrote. The committee has received dozens of text messages sent between Hannity and former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows in the days before and after the Capitol attack, and Thompson and Cheney said one text from Hannity on Dec. 31 suggests "that you had knowledge of concerns by President Trump's White House Counsel's Office regarding the legality of the former president's plans for Jan. 6th. These facts are directly relevant to our inquiry."

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In addition to speaking with the committee, Hannity has also been asked to preserve all records of his communications relevant to the panel's investigation, The Washington Post reports.