WASHINGTON The bipartisan House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot has taken the unprecedented step of issuing subpoenas for five GOP lawmakers, including House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy.

The other lawmakers are Reps. Scott Perry (Pa.), Jim Jordan (Ohio), Andy Biggs (Ariz.) and Mo Brooks (Ala.).

The committee had asked the five members to appear voluntarily before the panel to answer questions about their knowledge of and involvement with former President Donald Trump s attempt to overturn his 2020 election loss on the day Congress was set to certify the results.

Regrettably, the individuals receiving subpoenas today have refused and were forced to take this step to help ensure the committee uncovers facts concerning January 6th, committee Chair Bennie Thompson, a Mississippi Democrat, wrote in a statement. We urge our colleagues to comply with the law, do their patriotic duty, and cooperate with our investigation as hundreds of other witnesses have done.

The committee had previously sent letters to all five members requesting their cooperation with the investigation and detailing what relevant information they possessed. Thursdays news release from the committee referred to those earlier letters and summarized what the lawmakers could shed light on.

McCarthy, of California, for example, was in communication with Trump before, during, and after the attack on Jan. 6th, the committee wrote. Mr. McCarthy also claimed to have had a discussion with the President in the immediate aftermath of the attack during which President Trump admitted some culpability for the attack.

Perry, meanwhile, was directly involved with efforts to corrupt the Department of Justice and install Jeffrey Clark as acting Attorney General, the committee wrote.

Jordan was in contact with Trump on Jan. 6 itself and was involved in strategy meetings about overturning the election, while Biggs participated in the planning for the protest rally Trump staged just before the Capitol assault.

And Brooks spoke at the rally even though, the committee wrote, his staff had met with members of Vice President Pences staff before January6th and conveyed the view that the Vice President does not have authority to unilaterally refuse to count certified electoral votes.