Capitol Assault Investigation Committee recommends criminal charges against Trump

The US congressional committee investigating the attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021 unanimously approved on Monday the final report of its investigation and recommended that the US Department of Justice (DOJ) initiate criminal proceedings against former President Donald Trump as the “central figure” in the events.

In what is expected to be its last public hearing, before the current congressional legislature dissolves, the bipartisan special committee recommended impeachment of Trump on charges of obstruction of congressional proceedings, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and conspiracy to make a false statement. Inciting and aiding disobedience.

If the Justice Department accepts the recommendation and opens cases, it will be the first time in the history of the North American country that a former president will face trial for criminal conduct.

“The evidence has led to a conclusive and direct conclusion: the cause of January 6 was one man, former President Donald Trump, who was followed by many others. None of the events of January 6 would have happened without him,” warns the summary of the final report, which will be published in the coming days.

The committee also specified that it was making recommendations to prosecute former Trump attorney John Eastman and others on criminal charges, without naming other potential defendants.

The special committee’s indications are non-binding and entirely symbolic – as it remains in the hands of the justice portfolio should it decide to initiate proceedings against the former president – although it could represent an obstacle to Trump’s aspirations to return to the White House in 2024.

Republican Vice Chair Liz Cheney insisted during the hearing that “a man like that is not qualified to hold office in government.”

A video summary is presented at the hearing with the most important evidence gathered by the congressional committee, which interviewed more than 1,000 witnesses and reviewed nearly 1,400 documents, in 17 months of investigation into the chaos that unleashed when some 2,000 Trump supporters stormed the Capitol to try to block Congress’ certification of a victory. Democrat Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election.

Created in July 2021, the committee has a Democratic majority, although it does include two Republicans — Cheney and Adam Kinzinger — who are highly critical of Trump.

Witnesses and members of Capitol law enforcement who confronted the crowd that day, clearly moved Monday, reacted to the harsh images of the crowd storming the legislative residence.

The committee also provided key excerpts from interviews with close Trump aides, senior Trump administration officials, members of his staff and local government representatives from states like Arizona and Georgia, who provided testimony about how they were pressured to stop the recount.

The founder of the Oath Keepers was found guilty of sedition for the assault of the Capitol
Members of the former president’s team said they received no direction from Trump to try to stop the attack. In a clip called “187 Minutes” evidence is shown of how the former president waited more than three hours to calm things down and told the attackers to go home.

The unprecedented attack on the US Capitol left more than a hundred police officers injured. Officially, more than five deaths have been recorded, including an attacker who was fatally shot while trying to run through the door and Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, who died after being shot twice.

Hundreds of people have been arrested across the United States in connection with the attack and many have been convicted of sedition charges.

So far, Trump has not responded directly to the Special Committee’s final report. But on Sunday, he commented on social media: “Republicans and patriots across the country must stand strong and united against the thugs and scoundrels of the unelected committee. It will be a dark period in American history, but with darkness comes darkness! Light!”.

In a statement released Friday, December 16, Trump’s spokesperson, Stephen Cheung, dismissed the congressional committee’s action, arguing that it had conducted “show trials” that are “a disgrace to the history of this country,” in the process “insulting the intelligence of Americans and mocking our democracy.”

(Note from Voice of America)