Congressional panel probing Capitol riot recommends criminal charges against Trump
What's the story
After an investigation into last year's US Capitol riots, a House of Representatives select committee unanimously recommended four criminal charges against former President Donald Trump. The committee said he should be charged with inciting an insurrection, obstruction of an official proceeding, conspiring to defraud the US government, and making false statements. The panel found that Trump intended to disrupt the peaceful transition of power.
Context
Why does this story matter?
On January 5-6, 2021, outgoing President Trump's supporters gathered at the Capitol Hill Building after he claimed the presidential election was "stolen by emboldened radical-left Democrats." At a "Save America" rally on January 6, Trump repeated the claim of a "stolen election" and told supporters, "If you don't fight like hell, you're not going to have a country anymore," following which the violence erupted.
Testimony
Former counselor to Trump testifies against him
The committee also played a new video of former White House Communications Director and one of Trump's then-top aides, Hope Hicks, in which she said she warned Trump about stoking violence and soiling his legacy. She said that Trump dismissed her concerns, saying his legacy won't matter if he lost and what mattered was winning. The panel's investigation was underway for 18 months.
Twitter Post
Trump refused to ask his supporters to be peaceful: Hicks
Former Trump counselor Hope Hicks provides more evidence that Donald Trump knew there was no fraud that would overturn the 2020 election pic.twitter.com/iViIwKPrW4
— The Republican Accountability Project (@AccountableGOP) December 19, 2022
Details
Justice Department not bound to act on panel recommendation
The panel's recommendations to the Department of Justice now rest with a special counsel appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland to probe Trump's role in the riot and his attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election, which he lost to Democrat Joe Biden. However, the Justice Department isn't bound to follow the congressional committee's referral, and the committee's actions are mostly symbolic in nature.
Statement
Kangaroo court's fake charges: Trump
Meanwhile, Trump denied any wrongdoing and termed the congressional panel a "kangaroo court." He said the charges sought against him were "fake" and the committee's actions—"Impeachment Hoax #2"—were an attempt to prevent him from running for president again and sideline the Republican Party. He called the panel a "highly partisan and unselect committee" and proclaimed on his Truth Social platform he won "convincingly."
Turn of events
What happened on the day in question
The United States Capitol, one of the most iconic structures in the country, slipped into chaos and mayhem when hundreds of Trump supporters stormed the building to disrupt a ceremonial session of Congress that was convened to formally announce President-elect Joe Biden's victory. The rioters breached security along the perimeter, scaled walls, and clashed with cops. The rampage left four people dead.