The investigative committee into the storming of the US Capitol recommends that the Department of Justice criminal investigations against ex-President Donald Trump and confidants. The House of Representatives voted unanimously for this at its last public hearing in Washington.
The committee’s recommendation is not binding — the Justice Department makes its own decision on whether to prosecute the Republican. It is unclear when this decision will come.
Such a recommendation is nonetheless unprecedented. Because the committee accuses Trump, among other things, of rioting, obstructing a public process and conspiring against the US government. The panel’s vote is a strong signal, could influence the decision-making process and lead to an indictment. The final report will be presented shortly.
Over the past 18 months, the committee has been investigating how Trump supporters stormed the seat of the US Congress on January 6, 2021, when the Republican’s election defeat by Joe Biden was supposed to be authenticated. A crowd incited by Trump violently entered the building, killing five people.
The Justice Department must now see if it has enough evidence to file criminal charges against the Republican. The rare offense of rioting is the most serious. It is fulfilled under US law by inciting or participating in insurrection against the authority of the state or the law. This is punishable by a fine or imprisonment for up to ten years or both. So if Trump is convicted of sedition, he would no longer be allowed to hold political office.
The committee consists of seven Democrats and two Republicans. He is ultimately a toothless tiger as he has no criminal powers. But the panel staged the public hearings as a TV spectacle – which should have left a lasting impression on many people.
In the course of the investigation, the 76-year-old Trump was heavily incriminated by witnesses. These included former Attorney General William Barr and White House employees. Cassidy Hutchinson, a former White House employee, was considered a particularly spectacular surprise witness. In the summer, she accused Trump of having been aware of possible violence on January 6, 2021.
Trump has railed against the investigative committee from the start and denied its legitimacy. In November, Trump declared that he wanted to run again for the Republicans as a candidate for the White House. Against this background, too, he dismisses any allegations against him as political persecution.
The ex-president is currently involved in various other legal disputes. For example, investigations are underway against him for taking secret government documents to his private estate after leaving the White House. Trump could have made himself liable to prosecution.
