Jan. 6 panel to vote on urging DOJ to prosecute Trump on at least three criminal charges - POLITICO

The Jan. 6 prime committee is preparing to ballot connected urging the Justice Department to prosecute astatine slightest 3 transgression charges against erstwhile President Donald Trump, including insurrection.

The study that the prime sheet is expected to see connected Monday afternoon, described to POLITICO by 2 radical acquainted with its contents, reflects immoderate recommendations from a subcommittee that evaluated imaginable transgression referrals. Among the charges that subcommittee proposes for Trump: 18 U.S.C. 2383, insurrection; 18 U.S.C. 1512(c), obstruction of an authoritative proceeding; and 18 U.S.C. 371, conspiracy to defraud the United States government.

It’s unclear whether the prime committee’s last study volition urge further charges for Trump beyond the 3 described to POLITICO, oregon whether it volition impulse different transgression charges for different players successful Trump’s bid to subvert his 2020 loss. The document, according to the radical familiar, includes an extended justification for the recommended charges.

To warrant incitement of insurrection, the study references U.S. District Court Judge Amit Mehta’s February ruling saying Trump’s connection plausibly incited unit connected Jan. 6, 2021, erstwhile a mob of his supporters besieged the Capitol successful a bid to disrupt legislature certification of his nonaccomplishment to Joe Biden. The study besides cites the Senate’s 57 votes successful past year’s impeachment trial, Trump’s second, to convict him connected an “incitement of insurrection” complaint passed by the House.

The prime panel’s study besides notes that, successful bid to interruption the insurrection statute, Trump did not request an explicit statement with rioters — but rather, simply needed to supply “aid oregon comfort” to them.

DOJ, which is already pursuing a transgression probe of Trump’s Jan. 6-related actions, is not required to see referrals from Congress, which person nary ineligible weight. However, the prime committee plans to enactment successful the hopes that lawmakers’ input tin power prosecutorial decision-making.

A prime committee spokesperson declined to comment. Trump’s spokesperson besides did not instantly instrumentality a petition for comment.