Jan. 6 panel refers criminal charges against Trump
WASHINGTON (NewsNation) — The House Select Committee investigating the violent attacks at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, referred four criminal charges against former President Donald Trump and associates in their final meeting Monday.
The panel's seven Democrats and two Republicans voted unanimously to bring four criminal charges against the former president: conspiracy to defraud the United States, obstruction of an official proceeding of Congress, conspiracy to make a false statement and insurrection.
The referral is mostly symbolic as the committee will be dissolved on Jan. 3, 2023, making way for the new Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives.
Despite the symbolic nature of the referral, lawmakers hope the pressure will remain on Attorney General Merrick Garland and Special Counsel Jack Smith, who is conducting an investigation into Trump's actions connected to the Jan. 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol.
The House’s Jan. 6 investigation has involved nearly 12 hearings and testimony from more than 1,000 witnesses.