The commission investigating the US Capitol raid said Thursday that former head of state Donald Trump had orchestrated a plan to nullify the 2020 presidential election, acting in a “premeditated” manner.
Opening remarks by Chairman Bennie Thompson and panel Vice Chair Liz Cheney at the last open session of the year were loaded with language often used in criminal charges.
Both congressmen described Trump as “substantially” involved in the events of January 6, 2021, committing an “incredible betrayal of his oath of office.”
The commission warned that the invasion of the US Capitol was not an isolated incident, but a warning about the fragility of the country’s democracy in the post-Trump era.
“None of this is normal, acceptable or legal in a republic,” said Republican Congresswoman Liz Cheney.
“There is no defense that Donald Trump was misled or unreasonable. No president can defy the rule of law and act that way in a constitutional republic, period,” he added.
The 10th public session, just weeks before the midterm elections, is investigating Trump’s “state of mind,” said Democrat Bennie Thompson.
The commission begins to summarize its findings that Republican Trump, after losing the 2020 presidential election, tried to prevent Congress from certifying Democrat Joe Biden’s victory. The result was the invasion of the Capitol by pro-Trump protesters.
The commission can make a decision about making a criminal referral to the Justice Department, although Cheney noted that the panel’s job was not to make prosecution decisions.
Today’s hearing began in a largely empty Capitol complex, with most members of Congress in their states campaigning for the midterm elections.
Several people who were among the thousands who stormed the Capitol are now running for seats in Congress, some with the support of the former Republican president.
Police officers who tried to stop the crowd on January 6, 2021 filled the front row of the courtroom.
More than 850 people have been charged by the Justice Department in the attack on Capitol Hill, and some have been sentenced to long prison terms. Several leaders and members of the neo-fascist groups Oath Keepers and Proud Boys were charged with sedition.
Trump faces multiple academic and federal investigations into his actions in the election.
Source: TSF
