Jan. 6 panel should send case to Justice - Star Tribune

[question everything]

The congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol now has enough evidence to answer a historically significant question: Should it refer former President Donald Trump to the Justice Department for criminal prosecution for his role in the insurrection that very nearly halted the peaceful transfer of power? The answer is yes. The gravity of the accusations against the former president and the evidence being amassed are such that failing to do so would send a strong message that fear and intimidation to escape consequences will work even at the highest levels of American government.

(snip)

In late March, a federal judge ordered Trump's lawyer, John Eastman, to relinquish hundreds of e-mail to the committee, stating that the former president appeared to have committed multiple felonies in his push to hold onto the presidency after his defeat. "Based on the evidence the court finds that it is more likely than not that President Trump and Dr. Eastman dishonestly conspired to obstruct the joint session of Congress on January 6, 2021," U.S. District Judge David Carter wrote. It was Eastman who concocted the illegal scheme that would have had then-Vice President Mike Pence stop the electoral count and the certification of Biden' victory.

(snip)

Slowly, painstakingly, despite immense political obstacles, this committee has managed to do what few might have thought possible at the outset. It has obtained information from key figures in the White House. It has gotten testimony from Trump's daughter and senior adviser, Ivanka; from her husband, Jared Kushner; from senior adviser Stephen Miller; from Marc Short, chief of staff to then-Vice President Mike Pence, and more than 800 others. To do all that work, to gather all that evidence and then fail to recommend the ringleader and object of it all does a disservice to that work and to the American people.

(snip)

The committee must know that no matter what the outcome, Trump and his allies have decided from the outset that this is a partisan witch hunt. No matter that Cheney, a strong Republican voice, is on the panel. No matter that the evidence shows otherwise. Just as with Trump's false narrative about the election, he has shown that he is indifferent to facts and truth. That should not stop this committee from doing its duty. If it has the evidence — and it appears it does — it must send the referral. This is about a committee having the courage to act on its convictions and on the immense amount of work that has gone before. It must add its voice to that of Judge Carter, not hide behind him.

https://www.startribune.com/jan-6-panel-should-send-case-to-justice/600166533/

[Hoyt]

1. Somewhat skeptical of ultimate outcome, but the Committee should refer now

and report to people whatever they have. By “now,” I mean this week.

See no sense in dragging this out, trying to time it for ultimate impact, etc., if they actually have the evidence claimed.

[question everything]

2. Need to put enough space before the midterms.

[Karadeniz]

3. I want evidence to start pouring out a couple of months before the election. Justice takes too

much time if the evidence is just handed over to it without the show the J6 committee is promising.

[Novara]

4. No. Not now

The committee needs to have very public hearings and get the public engaged first.

If they do it now, before public hearings, it really does look like a witch hunt of select people who want to take him down. If the evidence is as complete and horrifying as they've hinted, the public will be enraged after seeing it, and it puts pressure on Garland to prosecute the motherfucker.

In essence we need the mob with pitchforks and flaming torches to amass in order for Garland to see he HAS to prosecute. How could he not prosecute if the American public is pissed off and demanding he act? It looks far less political at that point, and that's been his overwhelming worry all along - looking too political.

No. Present the hearings to the public first - AND IN PRIME TIME - and after the case has been presented to America, THEN refer the motherfucker for prosecution.

[Justice matters.]

5. THIS + 100000000000