Key Trump adviser Bernard Kerik hands Jan. 6 panel trove of documents

Former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik, an adviser to former President Trump, provided the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 riot with a trove of documents in response to a subpoena by the panel for efforts involving overturning the election.

A letter from Kerik’s attorney dated Friday indicates that Kerik wants to cooperate with the committee “and any investigators who are truly willing to move ahead swiftly and get to the truth.”

“Mr. Kerik is a strong believer in our constitutional system of government and would have never participated in any effort to knowingly promote false claims,” Timothy Parlatore, Kerik’s attorney, wrote to the committee’s chairman, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), in a letter shared by Kerik and reported on by Politico.

“He believed then, as he does now, that there were significant election improprieties and inconsistencies as well as evidence of possible fraud in the election that must be properly investigated,” Parlatore continued. “It is for this reason, that Mr. Kerik very much wants to cooperate with your committee and any investigators who are truly willing to move ahead swiftly and get to the truth.”

My attorney’s response to the J6 Committee’s Subpoena… for inquiries please contact @timparlatore at @ParlatoreLaw. pic.twitter.com/2tpSm5ldcV

— Bernard B. Kerik (@BernardKerik) December 31, 2021

Among the documents released via the letter is a “strategic communications plan” meant to pressure Republican members of Congress, including swing-state senators, to vote against certifying the 2020 election results. It included issues to highlight such as “Dead people voted,” “Underage people voted” and “Fraudulent Ballots.” 

The cooperation of Kerik, who was hired to investigate election fraud claims by Trump’s legal team, is sought by the Jan. 6 select committee because of his involvement in getting space at the Willard Hotel for the Trump team’s “war room” prior to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

Kerik also made remarks to The Washington Post regarding his firm charging $10,000 in travel expenses to the Trump campaign in addition to more than $55,000 for rooms for legal personnel. 

Kerik, who was subpoenaed by the committee in November, signaled last month that he intended to cooperate with the committee’s investigation, but he demanded an apology from lawmakers over an assertion that he had been involved in the Jan. 5 meeting at the Willard.

Kerik said through the letter from his lawyer that he would be willing to be interviewed by panel under certain conditions.

The Hill has reached out to the Jan. 6 committee for comment.