The committee investigating the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol took the unprecedented step Thursday of issuing subpoenas to five Republican congressmen, including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy.

The Democratic-controlled committed previously asked the congressmen, which also include Reps. Jim Jordan of Ohio, Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, Mo Brooks of Alabama and Andy Biggs of Arizona, to sit for voluntary interviews, but all had refused.

With the exception of ethics committee investigations, the subpoenas are believed to be the first congressional subpoenas to sitting members and will almost certainly be challenged in court.

The panel has said that all five congressmen, who are allies of former President Donald Trump, have information critical to its probe of the deadly riot by a mob of Trump supporters seeking to disrupt President Joe Biden's election victory.

In a letter to McCarthy in January, committee Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., said the panel wanted to hear about discussions the House GOP leader may have had with Trump and White House staffers in the days surrounding the riot, including a heated phone call with Trump on Jan. 6.

McCarthy, who was highly critical of Trump immediately after the riot, rejected the request, saying, "I have concluded to not participate with this select committee’s abuse of power that stains this institution today and will harm it going forward."

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