The near-party-line 222-208 vote is the second time the special committee has sought to punish a witness for defying a subpoena. The House vote sends the matter to the U.S. attorney's office in Washington, where it will now be up to prosecutors in that office to decide whether to present the case to a grand jury for possible criminal charges. A mob of supporters of President Donald Trump scale the west wall of the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021. Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson, left, and Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, of the House panel investigating the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol insurrection, testify before the House Rules Committee seeking contempt of Congress charges against former president Donald Trump's White House chief of staff Mark Meadows. In response to one of Trump Jr.'s texts, Meadows said: "I'm pushing it hard.

Source: CBC News December 15, 2021 19:33 UTC