McCarthy’s apparent defiance presents a new challenge for the committee after lawmakers decided to take the extraordinary and politically risky step of subpoenaing their own colleagues.

Republicans had previously said there were no groups in the Capitol in the days just prior to the attack, but the committee says its evidence shows otherwise.

The committee has been investigating Kevin McCarthy’s conversations with then-President Trump the day of the attack and meetings that the 4 other lawmakers had with the White House as Trump and his aides conspired how to overturn his defeat.

A group of voters filed a complaint with the Georgia secretary of state’s office saying that the congresswoman should be barred from running for reelection under a provision of the 14th Amendment having to do with insurrection.

The New York man had asked the judge for mercy, saying he was ashamed of his ‘contribution to the chaos of that day.’