Washington (AP) – For nearly a year and a half, a commission of inquiry worked on the events surrounding the January 2021 invasion of the United States Capitol, interviewed more than 1,000 witnesses and collected countless pieces of evidence.
Now, just before Christmas and the composition of the new US Congress in January, the body presented its final report: In 845 pages, the committee draws a detailed portrait of an attempted coup in which the 2020 elections were annulled and a transfer peaceful power was to be prevented. Central cause: Former President Donald Trump. The panel advises excluding Trump from another presidency.
The violent disturbances at the US Congressional headquarters in Washington were almost two years ago. On January 6, 2021, Trump supporters stormed the Capitol, where the Republican’s electoral defeat to Joe Biden would be authenticated. A mob incited by Trump violently entered the building, killing five people. Trump, who was president of the United States from 2017 to 2021, still claims his election was “stolen”. A few weeks ago, the 76-year-old announced that he would again run for his party in the 2024 presidential election.
At its latest public hearing on Monday, the panel recommended criminal prosecution of Trump on four counts. The denunciations against the former president weigh heavily: the group accuses him, among other things, of inciting popular revolt. Trump and others involved are also accused of obstructing a public hearing, conspiring against the US government and making false accusations against the state. It is unclear whether the Ministry of Justice will actually take criminal action, as the recommendation is not legally binding. However, the move is a clear signal and Trump’s prosecution has become more likely.
Committee: Trump should be banned from public office
The final report now published contains a total of eleven recommendations. Claims Trump should be barred from another presidency. Under the 14th Amendment, someone who took an oath to the Constitution but later participated in a revolt against the Constitution or supported enemies of the Constitution could in the future be barred from holding public office. The Committee asks Congress to establish mechanisms to review whether individuals named in the final report can be barred from holding public office at the state or state level under the Constitution.
Trump is described in the report as primarily responsible for an unprecedented attack on US democracy: “The central cause of January 6 was one man, former President Donald Trump.” Without him, the 6th of January would not have happened, says the document. The report also mentions failures of security services. However, security deficiencies were not the cause of the attack. “For the President of the United States to incite a mob to march on Capitol Hill and obstruct the work of Congress is not a scenario our intelligence and law enforcement agencies have envisioned for this country,” wrote Democratic Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson.
Trump talks about ‘witch hunts’ again
Trump again dismissed the Truth Social report as biased and insisted on the false claim that there was voter fraud. The whole thing is a “witch hunt”.
In a foreword to the report, former Democratic Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi wrote that the findings should be a call to “all Americans to keep our democracy vigilant and give our voice only to those who respect our Constitution.” “. The commission of inquiry’s work underscores “that our democratic institutions are only as strong as the commitment of those tasked with overseeing them.”
Trump could be impeached
As for the committee’s recommendation to prosecute Trump on four counts, the Justice Department must now determine whether it has enough evidence to take further action against the Republican: Trump could be indicted. The rare offense of rioting is the most serious: it is committed under United States law by inciting or participating in an insurrection against state authority or the law. This is punishable by a fine or imprisonment for up to ten years or both. If Trump is convicted of sedition, he will no longer be able to hold political office.
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