Trump 'unfit for any office', to face 4 criminal charges: Jan. 6 panel
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In a not-so-shocking move, the January 6 House panel recommends criminal referrals for Donald Trump.
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Former President Donald J. Trump (Archive)
The January 6 House panel recommended criminal referrals for former US President Donald Trump, his attorney John Eastman, and others for breaching four federal criminal statutes.
"The first criminal statute we invoke for referral is [obstruction of an official proceeding]. We believe that the evidence assembled throughout our hearing warrants a criminal referral of former President Donald J. Trump, John Eastman, and others for violations of this statute," the panel said.
Our work on the @January6thCmte has led us to criminally refer Donald Trump to DOJ. We now turn to the criminal justice system to ensure Justice under the law. The American people can ensure he’s never elected again.
— Adam Kinzinger (@RepKinzinger) December 19, 2022
Additionally, the panel considered that the evidence was sufficient to refer Trump, Eastman, and others to the Justice Department for conspiracy to defraud the US, conspiracy to make a false statement, and instigating, helping, aiding, or consoling an insurrection.
However, the Justice Department, which is already conducting an investigation of Trump, is not obligated to charge anyone with a crime.
Congressman Jamie Raskin stated that the panel's decision was influenced by the law and the facts, adding that they also understood the seriousness of each referral and the scope of the "crime against democracy."
“We propose to the committee advancing referrals where the gravity of the specific offense, the severity of its actual harm, and the centrality of the offender to the overall design of the unlawful scheme to overthrow the election, compel us to speak,” Raskin said as he addressed his fellow panel members.
"Our Committee had the opportunity last Spring to present much of our evidence to a federal judge... The judge concluded that both former President Donald Trump and John Eastman likely violated two federal criminal statutes."
— January 6th Committee (@January6thCmte) December 19, 2022
-@RepRaskin
Earlier, the vice chair of the House panel investigating the attack stated that former President Donald Trump's refusal to immediately intervene to stop last year's assault on the US Capitol makes him "unfit for any office."
"No man who would behave that way at that moment in time can ever serve in any position of authority in our nation again," said Representative Liz Cheney.
Liz Cheney: “Every president in our history has defended this orderly transfer of authority except one.” pic.twitter.com/HmGcnjLbBq
— Republicans against Trumpism (@RpsAgainstTrump) December 19, 2022
"He is unfit for any office," she told the final meeting of the House committee investigating the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
