The chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Democrat Adam Schiff, said Sunday that the actions of former President Donald Trump during the assault on the Capitol on January 6, 2021 «pretty much fit» the description of the crime of insurrection under U.S. law.
«This is someone who tried in multiple ways to pressure public officials to seek votes that don’t exist,» Schiff has said in statements to CNN. «This is someone who tried to interfere with a joint session (of Congress) and even incited a mob to attack the Capitol. If that’s not criminally punishable, I don’t know what is,» he argued.
Schiff is one of the six Democrats who make up, along with two other congressmen, the special House committee investigating the assault on the Capitol by Trump supporters during the protocol confirmation of Joe Biden’s victory in the November 2020 election.
The committee will vote later Monday in a final public session on whether to file criminal charges based on a lengthy investigation and all indications are that Trump will be charged with the crimes of insurrection, obstruction of an official proceeding and conspiracy to deceive the state.
The request will then be transferred to the Department of Justice, which is also investigating Trump for his involvement in those incidents, which resulted in the deaths of five people. Four more committed suicide after the events.
Schiff has explained that criminal charges will not be filed for all of the individuals for whom evidence has been found, but will focus on those for whom they have the most and strongest evidence.
As for Trump, he believes he «broke several criminal laws» and «should be treated like any other American who breaks the law and should be prosecuted.»
«If you study Donald Trump’s acts and compare them with what is typified (on the crime of insurrection), they fit quite well (…). I don’t think this crime has been used for a long time, but when have we ever had a president who basically incited to attack his own government?» he argued. So far, the crime of insurrection has not been charged against any of those prosecuted for the assault on the Capitol.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
