Mark Meadows faces contempt referral after failure to show for deposition

Former White House chief of staff did not appear for scheduled appearance before select committee investigating Capitol attack

Former Trump White House chief of staff Mark Meadows is facing a criminal referral to the justice department for contempt of Congress after he failed to appear for an immediate deposition on Friday morning before the House select committee investigating the Capitol attack.

The move to threaten criminal prosecution for Meadows amounts to an abrupt and sharp escalation for the select committee as it seeks to enforce its subpoena against one of Donald Trump's closest aides first issued in September.