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Tuesday 20 december 2022

Jan. 6 panel wraps work with ‘roadmap to justice’ for Trump

In court documents earlier
this year, the committee
suggested criminal charg-
es against Trump could
include conspiracy to de-
fraud the United States and
obstruction of an official
proceeding of Congress.
In a “conspiracy to de-
fraud the United States,”
the committee argues that
evidence supports an in-
ference that Trump and
his allies “entered into an
agreement to defraud the
United States” when they
disseminated misinforma-
tion about election fraud
and pressured state and
federal officials to assist in
that effort. Trump still says
he won the election to this
day.
From left, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., staff counsel Dan George, Rep. Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla., Chairman The panel also asserts that
Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., Vice Chair Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., staff counsel Candyce Phoenix, Trump obstructed an of-
Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., and Rep. Elaine Luria, D-Va., sit on the dais as the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack ficial proceeding, the joint
on the U.S. Capitol holds a hearing at the Capitol in Washington, July 12, 2022.
Associated Press session of Congress in which
the Electoral College votes
Continued from Front stormed the Capitol and “If that’s not criminal, then I what would have been a are certified. The commit-
interrupted the certification don’t know what it is,” Schiff bipartisan, independent tee said Trump either at-
“But he chose to try to stay of Democrat Joe Biden’s said. The panel aired some commission to investigate tempted or succeeded at
in office through a multi- presidential election win, new evidence at the meet- the insurrection. When that obstructing, influencing or
part scheme to overturn echoing Trump’s lies about ing, including a recent effort failed, the Democrat- impeding the ceremonial
the results and block the widespread election fraud interview with longtime ic-controlled House formed process on Jan. 6 and “did
transfer of power.” and sending lawmakers Trump aide Hope Hicks. an investigative committee so corruptly” by pressuring
Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney, and others running for their Describing a conversation of its own. Pence to try to overturn
the panel’s Republican lives. The attack came af- she had with Trump around As the committee was get- the results as he presided
vice chairwoman, said in ter weeks of Trump’s efforts that time, she said he told ting started, House Republi- over the session. Pence de-
opening remarks that ev- to overturn his defeat — a her that no one would care can leader Kevin McCarthy clined to do so.
ery president in American campaign that was exten- about his legacy if he lost of California, a Trump ally, A criminal referral on the
history has defended the sively detailed by the com- the election. decided not to participate charge of insurrection is a
orderly transfer of power, mittee in its multiple pub- Hicks told the committee after House Speaker Nancy clear effort to hold Trump
“except one.” lic hearings, and laid out that Trump told her, “The Pelosi rejected some of his directly accountable for
The committee also voted again by lawmakers on the only thing that matters is appointments. That left an the rioters who stormed the
9-0 to approve its final re- panel on Monday. Many of winning.” opening for two anti-Trump building. The rarely used
port, which will include find- Trump’s former aides tes- While a so-called criminal Republicans in the House insurrection statute crimi-
ings, interview transcripts tified about his unprece- referral has no real legal — Reps. Liz Cheney of Wyo- nalizes any effort to incite,
and legislative recommen- dented pressure on states, standing, it is a forceful ming and Adam Kinzinger engage in or assist a rebel-
dations. The report is ex- on federal officials and on statement by the commit- of Illinois — to join seven lion or insurrection “against
pected to be released in Vice President Mike Pence tee and adds to political Democrats, launching an the authority of the United
full Wednesday. to find a way to thwart the pressure already on Attor- unusually unified panel in States.”
The panel, which will dis- popular will. The commit- ney General Merrick Gar- the divided Congress. The committee may make
solve on Jan. 3 with the tee has also described in land and special counsel While the committee’s mis- ethics referrals for five
new Republican-led House, great detail how Trump Jack Smith, who is con- sion was to take a compre- House Republicans — in-
has conducted more than riled up the crowd at a rally ducting an investigation hensive accounting of the cluding McCarthy — who
1,000 interviews, held 10 that morning and then did into Jan. 6 and Trump’s ac- insurrection and educate ignored congressional sub-
well-watched public hear- little to stop his support- tions. the public about what poenas from the panel.
ings and collected more ers for several hours as he “We obviously want to happened, they’ve also The panel subpoenaed
than a million documents watched the violence un- complete the story for the aimed their work at an au- McCarthy, R-Calif., and
since it launched in July fold on television. American people,” said dience of one: the attor- Reps. Jim Jordan of Ohio,
2021. As it has gathered California Rep. Adam Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., ney general. Lawmakers Scott Perry of Pennsylvania,
the massive trove of evi- Schiff, a Democratic mem- another member of the on the panel have openly Andy Biggs of Arizona and
dence, the members have ber of the panel, said committee. “Everybody pressured Garland to inves- Mo Brooks of Alabama. The
become emboldened in ahead of the hearing that has come on a journey with tigate Trump’s actions, and panel has investigated Mc-
declaring that Trump, a Trump is someone who “in us and we want a satisfac- last month he appointed a Carthy’s conversations with
Republican, is to blame for multiple ways tried to pres- tory conclusion, such that special counsel, Smith, to Trump the day of the at-
the violent attack on the sure state officials to find people feel that Congress oversee two probes related tack and meetings the four
Capitol by his supporters al- votes that didn’t exist, this has done its job.” to Trump, including those other lawmakers had with
most two years ago. is someone who tried to in- The panel was formed in related to the insurrection the White House before-
After beating their way terfere with a joint session, the summer of 2021 af- and the presence of classi- hand as Trump and some
past police, injuring many even inciting a mob to at- ter Senate Republicans fied documents at Trump’s of his allies worked to over-
of them, the Jan. 6 rioters tack the Capitol.” blocked the formation of Florida estate. turn his election defeat.q