The committee of inquiry into the Capitol attack has been collecting evidence against ex-President Trump for around a year and a half. Now the last hearing has come – and brings a political thunderbolt.
It is an unprecedented step in political Washington: The committee of inquiry into the storming of the US Capitol wants to bring former US President Donald Trump to justice.
The panel of the US House of Representatives recommends that the Department of Justice take criminal action against Trump and confidants – including because of the serious charge of rioting. The seven Democrats and two Republicans voted unanimously for this in the US capital Washington. After about a year and a half, the committee’s work is coming to an end this week.
“The Committee believes that there is ample evidence to convict former President Trump of a criminal offense for aiding, assisting and encouraging those in the Capitol who carried out a violent attack on the United States,” he said Committee member and US Democrat Jamie Raskin. The committee produced clear evidence that Trump intended to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power under the Constitution.
On January 6, 2021, Trump supporters stormed the seat of the US Congress, where the Republican’s election defeat by Joe Biden was to be authenticated. A crowd incited by Trump violently entered the building, killing five people. The committee has been investigating the incident for almost 18 months. The panel staged the public hearings as a TV spectacle that was watched by many people. The final report will be presented shortly.
Department of Justice must decide
The committee’s recommendation is not binding — the Justice Department now has the power to decide whether to prosecute the Republican. It is unclear when such a decision will come. Trump is also accused of obstructing a public hearing, conspiring against the US government and making false claims to the state. The panel’s vote is a signal, could influence the decision-making process and ultimately lead to an indictment.
The Justice Department must now determine whether it has enough evidence to take further action against the Republican. The rare offense of rioting is the most serious. It is fulfilled under US law by inciting or participating in insurrection against the authority of the state or the law. This is punishable by a fine or imprisonment for up to ten years or both. So if Trump is convicted of sedition, he would no longer be allowed to hold political office.
Cheney: ‘He’s unfit for office’
The vice chair of the committee of inquiry, Liz Cheney, made it clear that she no longer considered Trump suitable for political office. “A man who behaves like this at a time like this must never again hold office in our nation, he is not fit for office,” said the Republican.
Trump followed the violent riots on television from the Oval Office and did not make a public statement for hours, despite requests from his staff, members of his family and lawyers. “January 6, 2021 marked the first time that an American president refused his constitutional duty to pass power peacefully to the next,” Cheney said.
Trump heavily burdened by statements
In the course of the investigation, the 76-year-old Trump was heavily incriminated by witnesses. These included former Attorney General William Barr and White House employees. Cassidy Hutchinson, a former White House employee, was considered a particularly spectacular surprise witness. In the summer, she accused Trump of having been aware of possible violence on January 6, 2021.
“We will bring any evidence that we have uncovered to[the Justice Department]and it will ultimately be up to them,” Committee Chair Bennie Thompson said. It is important for the Justice Department to look at the information that has been gathered. “We’ve interviewed over 1,000 witnesses. We’ve interviewed pretty much everyone you can think of who wanted to speak up, so we have a million pieces of evidence,” he said.
Trump has railed against the investigative committee from the start and denied its legitimacy. In November, Trump declared that he wanted to run again for the Republicans as a candidate for the White House. Against this background, too, he dismisses any allegations against him as political persecution.
The ex-president is currently involved in various other legal disputes. For example, investigations are underway against him for taking secret government documents to his private estate after leaving the White House. Trump could have made himself liable to prosecution.
Source: Stern
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