Jan. 6 Committee to Wrap Up Before Christmas with a Lump of Coal for Donald Trump

The Jan. 6 committee is expected to vote later Monday on potential criminal referrals to the Justice Department for former President Donald Trump and his allies.

Summary

The Jan. 6 committee is expected to vote later Monday on potential criminal referrals to the Justice Department for former President Donald Trump and his allies. The committee is also expected to release a summary of its report on the Capitol riot.

• The committee will reportedly consider recommending Trump be charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States, obstruction of an official proceeding of Congress, and insurrection.
• The Jan. 6 committee may also send referrals for ethics violations, legal misconduct, or campaign finance violations for his associates.
• While largely symbolic, a criminal referral urging the Justice Department to consider charging a formal president is unprecedented and marks a dramatic end to the committee’s work.
• The former president didn’t mince words about the committee. Trump slammed the “Unselect Committee” of “Thugs and Scoundrels” as “Corrupt cowards who hate our Country!!!” in a Sunday post on Truth Social.
• The majority-Democratic committee is expected to release its full report on the Jan. 6 Capitol riot on Wednesday along with legislative recommendations.

• The Washington Post published a behind-the-scenes look at how “Trump transplanted the chaos and norm flouting of his White House into his post-presidential life, leading to a criminal investigation into his handling of classified documents that presents potential legal peril.”
• CNN noted the committee is wrapping up its investigation now as Republicans are expected to shut down the committee once they take control of Congress on January 3.
• The New York Times wrote Trump is facing a “week of headaches” before Christmas. Besides the Jan. 6 Committee, a separate House committee will decide this week on whether to publicly release Trump’s tax returns.

• The New York Post emphasized today’s actions will be largely symbolic – the panel has no power to make its recommendations a reality and the Justice Department is running its own investigation into Trump headed by special counsel Jack Smith.
• The Wall Street Journal explained how criminal referrals from Congress work. Congress lacks the power to bring charges or initiate an investigation. Congress can call on the Justice Department to start a probe with a referral, but referrals carry no legal weight. 
• Fox News observed the committee lacks a “smoking gun” proving Trump committed a federal crime in part because of intense stonewalling from Trump allies. Reps. Kevin McCarthy, Scott Perry, and Andy Biggs have all defied congressional subpoenas seeking their testimony.

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© Dominic Moore, 2022