# Why has Donald Trump not been deposed or subpoenaed by the January 6 Committee? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [June 29, 2022, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-donald-trump-not-been-deposed-or-subpoenaed-by-the-january-6-committee/967078 "2022-06-29T00:09:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2022, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-donald-trump-not-been-deposed-or-subpoenaed-by-the-january-6-committee/967078/61 "2022-07-06T17:42:38Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > You’re leaving out the part where Trump’s appearance would be acknowledging that the committee has any right to exist, let alone question him, the current president of the United States. > > And you’re leaving out the part where we’re arguing that his guilt or innocence is entirely irrelevant, that only his face on camera spurring on his base is what the committee wants to avoid. > > And you’re leaving out the part where these hearings are not a trial or a deposition but a carefully staged public relations exercise, a payback for the uncountable hours during his term when Trump dominated every day’s news cycle with gibberish and misspelled tweets. This is what his supporters are already hearing, just minus any rebuttal because they aren’t watching the hearings. > [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > We’re disagreeing with you because we think you are missing the entire point of the hearings. They are not what you seem to think they are. If it’s not to help Americans understand what happened, then let’s not bother to televise the hearings. Now, any response to the points I put in my last post? ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2022, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-donald-trump-not-been-deposed-or-subpoenaed-by-the-january-6-committee/967078/62 "2022-07-06T17:50:03Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > > [@alphaboi867](#): > > > > For his security Trump would need to sit in a bullet proof glass enclosure next to his lawyers. It’s just a coincidence that it’s also soundproof. > > Make it airproof as well and we have a deal. Naw, slowly fill it with water every time he lies. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2022, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-donald-trump-not-been-deposed-or-subpoenaed-by-the-january-6-committee/967078/63 "2022-07-06T17:53:10Z")
I’ve been to a few sermons over the years. I don’t remember a single one in which the priest/minister/rabbi said, and now we’ll have the Devil come up and speak because we’re 100% positive that you’ll hear for yourselves exactly how wrong he is. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2022, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-donald-trump-not-been-deposed-or-subpoenaed-by-the-january-6-committee/967078/64 "2022-07-06T17:59:36Z")
That sounds like confirmation bias 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2022, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-donald-trump-not-been-deposed-or-subpoenaed-by-the-january-6-committee/967078/65 "2022-07-06T18:16:49Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > I’d suggest that that’s why Trump has not been summoned before the committee: because he’d do nothing but interrupt, deflect, and obstruct. Best to keep him out, let real evidence be presented, and by keeping him away, only let him _wish_ that he could speak in order to interrupt, deflect, and obstruct. And then if he is indicted, they had damn well make sure he’s in a court run by an Obama or Clinton appointee. Then when he does this nonsense you describe of not calling people by their right names, not answering the question, etc… he can be held in contempt by the judge. Which would almost certainly happen IMO. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2022, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-donald-trump-not-been-deposed-or-subpoenaed-by-the-january-6-committee/967078/66 "2022-07-06T18:30:03Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Then when he does this nonsense you describe of not calling people by their right names, not answering the question, etc… he can be held in contempt by the judge. Which would almost certainly happen IMO. Of course, that assumes he will take the stand in his defense. I’m sure he’d want to but I suspect if he has competent counsel, they won’t want him on the stand. I predict he’ll go through several lawyers in the course of a single trial. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2022, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-donald-trump-not-been-deposed-or-subpoenaed-by-the-january-6-committee/967078/67 "2022-07-06T18:30:32Z")
The fact that Trump is apoplectic about the hearings is the alpha and the omega for whether they are a net positive. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2022, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-donald-trump-not-been-deposed-or-subpoenaed-by-the-january-6-committee/967078/68 "2022-07-06T18:43:32Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > I’m sure he’d want to but I suspect if he has competent counsel, they won’t want him on the stand. When did Trump ever have competent counsel? And his previous lawyers are still waiting for payment for their work. Any lawyer that would represent him now would have to be even crazier than Rudy. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2022, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-donald-trump-not-been-deposed-or-subpoenaed-by-the-january-6-committee/967078/69 "2022-07-06T19:18:44Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Any lawyer that would represent him now would have to be even crazier than Rudy. So is he going to have to ask for a public defender? ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2022, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-donald-trump-not-been-deposed-or-subpoenaed-by-the-january-6-committee/967078/70 "2022-07-06T19:24:26Z")
Begin the thawing of Bruce Cutler! ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2022, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-donald-trump-not-been-deposed-or-subpoenaed-by-the-january-6-committee/967078/71 "2022-07-06T21:08:51Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > The fact that Trump is apoplectic about the hearings is the alpha and the omega for whether they are a net positive. Trump was incensed about the Mueller probe, then the impeachments too. _We’ve done this_. This time around it would have been better to get all the trumpists to watch, and, as a side effect, a set of hearings that the whole American public was talking about might be the pressure Garland needs to wake up. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2022, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-donald-trump-not-been-deposed-or-subpoenaed-by-the-january-6-committee/967078/72 "2022-07-06T21:30:30Z")
Expecting the Trumpists to watch anything but Trump’s face is delusional wish-fulfillment. Expecting a televised spectacle of Trump spittle to do anything other than make it politically impossible for Garland to act is also delusional. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2022, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-donald-trump-not-been-deposed-or-subpoenaed-by-the-january-6-committee/967078/73 "2022-07-06T21:35:56Z")
The same folks lived through the Mueller report, not one but two impeachments, and this stuff here, but _this_ time, yes _this_ time, it’ll be different if we have Trump on hand. Trying the same thing 10 times and expecting a different result is the definition something something ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2022, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-donald-trump-not-been-deposed-or-subpoenaed-by-the-january-6-committee/967078/74 "2022-07-06T21:51:08Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Expecting the Trumpists to watch anything but Trump’s face is delusional wish-fulfillment. So take a page from their playbook. Start a Q-Rumor that Trump is going to deliver a special message to his followers showing proof of election fraud, Max Headroom style, at some point during the televised proceedings. They will all be rivited. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2022, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-donald-trump-not-been-deposed-or-subpoenaed-by-the-january-6-committee/967078/75 "2022-07-06T21:53:37Z")
That’s when they start counting syllables or whatever and conclude the commission is actually double secretly in favor of Trump and it’s some kind of 19th level chess match against the pedophile lizard people in charge of DC. And I wish I was not serious about that but they buy into that stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2022, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-donald-trump-not-been-deposed-or-subpoenaed-by-the-january-6-committee/967078/76 "2022-07-06T22:01:19Z")
> [@Great\_Antibob](#): > > The same folks lived through the Mueller report, not one but two impeachments, and this stuff here, but _this_ time, yes _this_ time, it’ll be different if we have Trump on hand. Yes, it’s baffling. Mijin is using _his own argument_ to refute his own argument. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2022, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-donald-trump-not-been-deposed-or-subpoenaed-by-the-january-6-committee/967078/77 "2022-07-06T22:49:46Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Yes, it’s baffling. Mijin is using _his own argument_ to refute his own argument. Yes it is indeed baffling. I’ve explained how a significant _difference_ this time would be significant. I’m not the one suggesting trying the same thing and expecting a different result. I’m the one saying the _opposite_ of that. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2022, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-donald-trump-not-been-deposed-or-subpoenaed-by-the-january-6-committee/967078/78 "2022-07-06T23:09:44Z")
You’re saying that seeing Trump personally there will do… what? Get the members of his cult of personality to abandon him? Get the Republicans who boycotted participation in the committee to join in? Get the censure of Liz Cheney by her state party reversed? Make Fox News start criticizing him? Reduce the attendance at his rallies? Stop the contributions to his phony charities? Keep people from voting for the candidates he endorses? What will his face at the hearings do? You say this is the same. It’s not. This time it is very different. Trump and his abetters are _not_ in attendance. That’s the huge difference. You want to make it the same, for reasons unexplained and unexplainable. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2022, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-donald-trump-not-been-deposed-or-subpoenaed-by-the-january-6-committee/967078/79 "2022-07-06T23:17:23Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > You say this is the same. It’s not. This time it is very different. Trump and his abetters are _not_ in attendance. That’s the huge difference. You want to make it the same, for reasons unexplained and unexplainable. Wat? You must have watched very different impeachment trials to the ones I saw. The ones I saw didn’t include any testimony by any significant Republican figures, nor them answering any questions, indeed both times the party explicitly issued statements of non-compliance. And again, is anyone going to take a stab on why no significant Republicans have _volunteered_ to testify on this occasion, if it’s such an obvious win for them? ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2022, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-donald-trump-not-been-deposed-or-subpoenaed-by-the-january-6-committee/967078/80 "2022-07-06T23:51:21Z")
Nice way to avoid the hard questions. Just for the record, I remember this thing called the Senate that seemed to be heavily involved in the overall impeachment process. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-donald-trump-not-been-deposed-or-subpoenaed-by-the-january-6-committee/967078.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-has-donald-trump-not-been-deposed-or-subpoenaed-by-the-january-6-committee/967078.md?page=5)