Its formal name is the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol. While both Democratic and Republican members are charged with explaining the events that happened that day, there is one question that is starting to come to the forefront that will have to be answered by them and officials in Washington at some point:
Should charges be brought against Donald Trump and those he worked with to overturn the 2020 Presidential election?
We do not expect Americans to watch every single moment of the hearings. But you should be informed and understand a few basic facts that the committee has put forth so far.
Donald Trump was told numerous times, by aides and lawyers, that his claims of voter fraud that would change the outcome of him losing to Joe Biden were false. Trump knowingly, from just days after the election through Jan. 6, 2021 and until this day, continues to promote “The Big Lie.”
Trump’s words and actions during the Stop the Steal rally on Jan. 6 were received as a call to arms from such right wing extremists as the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers to storm the U.S. Capitol after it was confirmed that Mike Pence would not block the electoral count that certified the results of the 2020 Presidential Election by Congress.
And, in our view, one of the most significant new items is that John Eastman, the lawyer who gave Trump the legal theory to overturn the will of the people, sought a pardon in the days after Jan. 6 for his counsel to the President on the subject.
That is what we know so far with more hearings scheduled this week that will include what Trump did for the 187 minutes it took for him to urge rioters at the Capitol to go home.
We make no assumptions of what the Committee will uncover in the coming days. And we caution that as more news and questions come out—such as the role of Ginni Thomas—that the investigation should continue. The members of the bipartisan committee should let the facts be their guide in ensuring we know the role of all involved, including their colleagues in the House and Senate.
That leads us back to answer our earlier question: Yes, the Department of Justice should absolutely go forward with charges such as conspiracy and any other violation of the law with a sense of urgency that the moment demands.
We do not shy away from the debate of whether charges should be brought in such a politically charged issue. The fact is no man should be above the rule of law. The bar should be set high in order to move forward in a case that involves a President, current and sitting. But it should not be so high that short of confession a case should not be prosecuted.
There will be those that will blindly state that this is another political witch hunt of Trump, pointing to him being impeached twice during his four years as the Commander-in-Chief. We disagree as per the information and presentation that the committee has given so far.
The time is coming soon where Attorney General Merrick Garland must not be influenced by the political ramifications on either side in whether to charge those involved in promoting The Big Lie at the highest levels of government.
The word unprecedented has been overused since Donald Trump entered the world of politics. But this is one of the few times that its significance is true. If the facts show Trump committed a crime in attempting to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power in this instance, then the Department of Justice is obligated to pursue charges in court, precedence or not.
To truly be a country guided by its laws and not men, we must not be afraid to enforce them no matter the consequences. In this instance, the consequences of not moving forward could lead to another assault on democracy—one we might not be unable to withstand the next time.
The problem facing DoJ is that the Congressional investigation (not “bi-partisan” unfortunately since the Republican leadership was prevented from appointing members to the Committee) will make it difficult to find an unbiased jury and Courts are likely to dismiss the charges or overturn a conviction because of the Committee’s involvement in what should be a criminal investigation. It would indeed be ironic that the more the Committee is involved, the less likely that Trump will get the fair trial required by the Constitution. The Committee should stop grandstanding and let the prosecutors do their work, if it isn’t too late already.
Using Watergate as the analogy, potential crimes need to be addressed not just for the former
President but all those who contributed and enabled. The DOJ must pursue wherever the leads take them and not stop. 50 years ago it just wasn’t Nixon but also Haldeman, Ehrlichmann, Mitchell, McGruder and others.
Talk about a biased article.When are you people and the entire news media going to report a story without throwing out your beliefs and opinions???? This committee is a sham and totally biased and swung one way.Its all political and the American people do not care..Its a joke.When are they going to investigate the hundreds of BLM riots that caused millions of dollars in damages and killed people including police?When is that committee being formed? Of course not.This is all BS and why dont you people start your reports talking about things that we actually care about and that we the American people are suffering from such as a 40 year high of inflation,Gas prices through the roof, an open border letting millions of illegal aliens, drugs and criminals into our country, the supply and food shortages, the crime rate at sky-high levels,the threat of nuclear war from what are now our enemies,Covid never being stopped, etc,etc…,..I could go on and on about what and how this administration has ruined this country and made us all poorer and in danger….Why dont you talk about things that our actually effecting us and not some crap scam committee with a bunch of idots on it who are biased and hypocrites and which is designed to target Trump and all Republicans..we see right through the nonsense..
The main crimes that were committed was the formation of this “committee”, the finances it is receiving, all those pretending that they are bipartisan and the dishonest press reporting on their actions as if they were legitimate.
Oy vey! Such a bunch of hysterical lunatic ideologues
There is no sane rational interpretation of the jan 6 event that could be even slightly considered an insurrection
The whole thing is a soviet style show trial
The dems did everything they could to facilitate people getting into the capitol and instigating some bad behavior like some window breaking and minor property destruction ( which are definately crimes that should be prosecuted)
Ashley babbit was the only person actually killed that day.
There was no armed attempt to overthrow the government or stop the election count
The jan 6 commission is not “doing its job”
They are using the whole event as a pretext to attack their political enemies and deflect attention away from the fact that NONE of their policies and programs have worked at all
The dems and progressive are total failures
100 years of progressive policies have left the US a bankrupt failed overextended empire
The jan 6 comission is pure political theater
Add Pelosi, Schumer, the Sgt. at Arms of the House and Senate, the Mayor of D.C., the D.C. Chief of Police, Lt. Byrd, to name a few, that should also be investigated. They are going after Trump to prevent him from running for office.
Wel said : its a soviet style show trial
Amen to that. Let’s focus our priorities on the present.
TDS runs strong in this North Jersey News bunch. Imagine how their heads will positively explode when he wins (for the third time) in 2024…
Horrible reporting on a biased one sided witch hunt. Just show the two sided justice system, where democrats can riot, burn and kill, with little to no penalties.
I agree with the Editorial board’s assessment of the Jan 6 committee hearings thus far. To the commenters calling it biased: this is not an article. It’s an opinion piece which always carries a bias because it calls for…you guessed it…an opinion. To the commenter comparing the events of January 6th to the George Floyd protests: The attackers at the Capitol had one goal and that was to stop the Democratic process and essentially overthrow the duly elected government. That my friends is the very definition of insurrection. To commenters saying that this is a one sided trial: it’s not a trial, it’s a hearing. Most of the testimonies are from Republicans including Mr. Trump’s own family. And finally, Former President Trump whined on Truth Social that he demands equal time. Well then Mr. Trump, get your attorney and sit for questioning under oath. Simple.
So Donny, you don’t care about the gov’t of The United States being overthrown by fascists? Only thing that matters to you is the price of gas which incidentally is the result of your right wing “free market”.
Yes, you read correctly Fascists. Educate yourself on just what fascism is and what it believes in, and then you will see trump and all Republicans who support him are Fascists.
So, Dirk, if the fascist republicans get into office and democrats attack the capital and kill police officers in the process and threaten to execute the fascist republicans in office and then the attackers get arrested, you will call THAT “political theater”? I highly doubt it. You fascists would be demanding public executions to command obedience to your leader. You should move to Russia. Putin needs your support in his own country.
The organizers of the “Select Committee” are the ones putting forth authoritarian rule (fascism?). One Party selected the members of the committee, who will be questioned, what “evidence” will be viewed. A more honest name for the proceedings would be “Show Trial”. It’s a terrific explanation that the rise in the price of gas is a result of the “right wing ‘free market'”, and not the day 1 policies of Biden to destroy the use of Fossil Fuel.
You obviously know nothing about economics.
Sure, Biden policy of allowing more drilling and releasing more permits to drill and releasing oil from the strategic reserves.
You and others are the end result of the right wing’s “War on Education” of the past generation.
I sometimes wonder how people can keep their head in the sand. The policies of the prior administration definitely were the impetus for our current economic crisis. As far as the riots on Jan 6th go anyone that calls it a demonstration is not too bright. Demonstrations don’t end in mass destruction unless there is overwhelming opposition. The only opposition was the police and security who were totally outnumbered and the law. Those rioters wanted blood and succeeded. They should have all been rounded up and penalized. Will anything really come out of the hearings? Who knows but the American public who are open minded will see it for what it, Jan 6th really was
As far as 2024. If this country elects the racist sexist misogynist to another term we should all move out because as Barry McGuire said “we are on the eve of destruction”