It is the first time in US history that Congress has referred a former president to prosecution, wrote the New York Times (“NYT”). For the past nearly 18 months, the committee has investigated how Trump supporters stormed the US Congressional headquarters on January 6, 2021, in which the Republican’s electoral defeat against Joe Biden would be authenticated.
“Never before has a president of the United States made such a violent attempt to block the transfer of power,” committee chairman Bennie Thompson said Monday at the start of the committee’s meeting in the US capital, Washington. Trump knew he had lost the 2020 presidential election.
“In the end, he drew a crowd to Washington,” Democrat Thompson said. Responsibility would have to be taken for this, which could only exist in the criminal justice system. Conservative Republican Representative Liz Cheney said Trump, who has already entered the 2024 presidential race, is “unable” to hold public office again.
AP/Jose Luis Magana The panel charged Trump on Monday with, among other things, instigating or aiding the uprising.
Recommendation may result in prosecution
The Justice Department is now deciding whether to prosecute the Republican. It is not clear when that decision will come. While a panel recommendation is not legally binding on the Department of Justice, it can influence the decision-making process and ultimately lead to an indictment. Furthermore, the committee staged the public hearings as a TV show – which must have left a lasting impression on many people.
In this context, the full final report on the work of the Capitol Committee, which should be several hundred pages long and is scheduled for Wednesday, is eagerly awaited.
That will likely “keep close to the topics of individual committee hearings,” as predicted by US broadcaster ABC on Monday. The report will paint a “comprehensive picture” of events surrounding the Capitol attack, according to Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger. The committee’s fallout for Trump remains open – yet the “NYT” predicted “a week full of headaches” for the former president.
most serious riot offense
The Justice Department must now see if it has enough evidence to file criminal charges against the Republican. The rare crime of rebellion is the most serious. It is enforced by US law when there is incitement or personal participation in insurrection against state authority or the law. This is punishable by a fine or imprisonment for up to ten years or both. Therefore, if Trump is convicted of sedition, he will no longer be able to hold political office.
In the course of the investigation, the 76-year-old Trump was heavily framed by witnesses. This included former Attorney General William Barr and White House officials. Cassidy Hutchinson, a former White House official, was considered a particularly spectacular surprise witness. In the summer, she accused Trump of knowing in advance about possible violence on January 6, 2021.
Investigations already underway
The US judiciary is already investigating Trump, with Attorney General Merrick Garland only appointing prosecutor Jack Smith as special counsel in mid-November. On the one hand, the investigation is about the assault on the Capitol or, in principle, a possible obstacle to the change of power after Biden’s victory in the 2020 presidential election. Another line of investigation revolves around secret documents that Trump transferred from the House Branca to his private estate in early 2021 at the end of his term in office from Mar-a-Lago, Florida.
Portal/Leah Millis The events of January 6, 2021 have permanently shaken the United States
“Come hell”
Radical Trump supporters stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021 to prevent a final confirmation of Biden’s election victory. The invasion of Congress with five dead shook the United States and caused international horror. At that time, the House of Representatives began impeachment proceedings against Trump, which failed in the Senate.
In July 2021, a parliamentary commission of inquiry began its work to discover the background to the invasion of the Capitol. The panel, whose work officially expires at the end of the year, was formed after an attempt to create an independent commission was blocked by Republicans.
Committee members – seven Democrats and two Republicans – have made it clear several times that they believe Trump is primarily responsible for the violence. After the 2020 election, the right-wing populist refused to concede defeat and spread accusations of voter fraud that had already been refuted several times. On January 6, 2021, he called on his supporters gathered in Washington to march to the Capitol and fight “whatever the hell”.