Photo by Colin Lloyd / Unsplash
What’s happening: After operating for 18 months and spending over $3 million in taxpayer funding, the January 6 House committee wants to criminally charge former President Donald Trump for inciting the Capitol riot and conspiring against the government.
The charges: The committee claims that Trump breached four federal criminal statutes—obstructing an official proceeding of Congress, insurrection, conspiring to defraud the United States, and conspiracy to make a false statement.
But the partisan January 6 committee ignores these realities:
Trump overwhelmingly urged protesters to be peaceful,
There were FBI agents embedded in the Capitol riot,
Outside agitators like the Oath Keepers were present and had their own objectives,
The federal government deliberately refused to increase security despite known security threats,
And the vast majority of protesters were allowed inside the Capitol by police.
Why it matters: The charges against Trump for the January 6 Capitol riot are weak. Still, the committee has recommended charging him, with the ultimate goal of barring him from running for office in 2024.
