The House Select Committee investigating the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol concluded that former President Donald Trump was ultimately responsible for the insurgency, exposing the public and the Department of Justice a treasure trove of evidence as to why he should be prosecuted. for several offences.
The summary details how Trump tried to subdue, pressure and cajole anyone unwilling to help him reverse his election defeat – despite knowing that many of his schemes were illegal. His tireless efforts included election administrators in key states, senior Justice Department officials, state legislators and others. The report even suggests that witnesses could tamper with the committee’s investigation.
The committee repeatedly uses forceful language to describe Trump’s intent: that he “deliberately disseminated false allegations of fraud” in order to aid him in his efforts to void the 2020 election and to successfully solicit approximately $250 million in political contributions. “These false statements incited his supporters to violence on January 6.”
The full report, based on more than 1,000 interviews, documents collected including emails, text messages, phone records and a year and a half of investigation by the nine-member bipartisan committee, will be released on Wednesday, along with transcripts and other materials collected. in the survey.
Here are some key elements of the report summary:
Committee referring Trump and others to the DOJ: The House committee sets out a number of criminal laws it says were violated in the plots to avert Trump’s defeat and says there is evidence of criminal referrals to the Justice Department for Trump, l Trump lawyer John Eastman and “others”.
The report summary says there is evidence to prosecute Trump on multiple crimes, including obstruction of official process, conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to make false statements, assisting or aiding an insurrection, conspiracy to injure or hinder an officer and seditious conspiracy.
Trump’s fake win was ‘premeditated’: The committee presents 17 findings from its investigation that support its reasoning for the criminal dismissals, including that Trump knew the fraud allegations he was pushing were false and continued to amplify them anyway.
“President Trump’s decision to falsely declare victory on election night and, illegally, to call a halt to the vote count, was not a spontaneous decision. It was premeditated,” the summary reads.
Several members of Congress referred to the House Ethics Committee: The select committee refers several Republican lawmakers who refused to cooperate with the investigation to the House Ethics Committee.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, along with Representatives Jim Jordan of Ohio, Scott Perry of Pennsylvania and Andy Biggs of Arizona, could all face possible penalties for their failure to comply. to subpoenas.
“If left unpunished, such behavior undermines Congress’ longstanding investigative power in support of its legislative authority and suggests that members of Congress may ignore legal obligations that apply to ordinary citizens,” indicates the summary.
