Trump DOJ weighed Jan. 5 statement, briefing with lawmakers about ‘unrest’

The Trump Department of Justice weighed the possibility of both holding a briefing with Congress on Jan. 5 and releasing a public statement about potential “unrest” the next day but ultimately scrapped their plans, according to documents obtained by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. 

The documents, released as part of ongoing public records litigation, are heavily redacted, but show that the department mulled a meeting with lawmakers the day before the deadly riot at the Capitol.

In a Jan. 5 email, a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) legislative affairs liaison wrote to DOJ personnel asking about the briefing.

“Director for DHS Ops just mentioned to me on a call the potential for an interagency briefing to Congress TODAY in advance of the DC unrest expected this week,” wrote Sharon Eshelman, then a senior advisor in DHS’s Office of Legislative Affairs.                           

“Are you all working on something like this? If so, would you mind looping us in, as DHS Ops would want to participate on behalf of our Department given their coordination capacity,” she wrote. 

The DOJ’s email traffic just one day before, on Jan. 4, shows the agency weighing such a briefing, with the department’s Office of Legislative Affairs lead laying out three potential scenarios for a meeting, all of which are redacted.

A response to Eshelman instead indicates the possibility of a forthcoming statement from the DOJ.

Other emails show then-acting Deputy Attorney General Richard Donoghue corresponding with the DOJ’s press shop, ultimately editing the text of a fully redacted statement sent for him to review.

Another email says Donoghue will pass along talking points to help the press shop prepare for any follow-up questions.

The DOJ has been questioned alongside other agencies for failing to take more action ahead of the attack.