Jan. 6 Committee Announces Criminal Referrals for Trump

Facts

• In its final public meeting on Monday, the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riots voted to refer Trump to the Dept. of Justice (DOJ) on multiple charges over his alleged role in the events surrounding the 2020 election. Trump is the first president ever referred by Congress for potential criminal prosecution.
• The Committee leaned heavily on courts to support its claims. This includes a series of legal rulings nationwide against Trump in the aftermath of the 2020 election.
• Charges in the referrals include: obstructing an official proceeding of Congress; conspiracy to defraud the federal government; making a false statement; and inciting, assisting, or aiding and comforting an insurrection. The committee also referred several prominent GOP members to the House Ethics Committee — including Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.).
• Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), a member of the committee, suggested that Trump’s actions are a “pretty good match” for US insurrection statutes.
• The referrals won’t carry any legal weight, nor will they necessarily compel the DOJ to act. The committee is set to dissolve once Republicans take the majority in the next Congress starting in January.

Sources: NBC, MSNBC, FOX News, Newsweek, and NPR Online News.

Narratives

• Democratic narrative, as provided by Vanity Fair. Trump and his inner circle must be held accountable for contributing to a reckless assault on democracy. No one is above the law, and the peaceful transfer of power is the bedrock of any democracy. GOP leaders instigated the attack on the US Capitol and should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
• Republican narrative, as provided by Breitbart. Democrats will stop at nothing to destroy their enemies and the Jan. 6 committee is just another way for them to achieve that goal. Democrats themselves have resisted certifying elections. This panel is a sham, and its members should be the ones investigated.