Why is Jan 6 committee chairman Bennie Thompson presiding remotely?

Representative Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, the head of the House committee probing the January 6 attack on the United States Capitol, tested positive for Covid-19 this week but is presiding over the hearing remotely on Thursday night.

Thompson had authorised the panel to proceed with its agenda after testing positive on Monday, according to Tim Mulvey. He said Thompson was “disappointed,” but he wanted the hearing to go ahead even if he couldn’t attend in person.

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Thompson has been one of the committee’s key faces, but he is hardly the most prominent Democrat to test positive this week. On Thursday, US President Joe Biden tested positive for the virus, and White House officials indicated he was suffering just minor symptoms. According to officials, both males have been properly vaccinated and boosted twice.

Representatives Elaine Luria, a Democrat from Virginia, and Adam Kinzinger, a Republican from Illinois, are expected to take the lead as the committee examines how President Donald J. Trump refused to call off his supporters even as his staff, lawyers, and family pleaded with him to intervene and help stop the violence.

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Thursday’s hearing which started at 8 pm is set to centre on Trump’s 187 minutes of inaction as a mob of his followers stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in an attempt to prevent Biden’s Electoral College victory from being certified. 

Trump blamed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for the Capitol rioting. Trump’s claims came just hours before the committee’s eighth session began.

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Trump inquired on his own social media network, Truth Social, why Pelosi and Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser were not being questioned by the House Select Committee.

The former President questioned why Pelosi and Bowser rejected “his recommendation on January 3rd of 10,000 to 20,000 troops to stand guard at the Capitol Building on January 6th.” “Had they followed this recommendation, there would have been no problem on January 6th,” he added.