Bad News For Trump, J6 Panel Will Make Criminal Referrals
Credit: screen capture
December 6, 2022

Chairman Bennie Thompson told reporters on Tuesday that the House Select Committee investigating the January 6 attack on the Capitol has decided to make criminal referrals to the Department of Justice. "We have made decisions on criminal referrals," Rep. Thompson said.

CNN reports:

Asked whether Thompson believed any witnesses perjured themselves, he said, "that's part of the discussion."

When the panel makes referrals, Thompson said it will be a separate document from the panel's final report that will be sent to DOJ.

The committee is expected to meet later Tuesday.

A source tells CNN the criminal referrals the January 6 committee will ultimately be making "will be focused on the main organizers and leaders of the attacks."

A subcommittee of members was tasked with providing options to the full committee about how to present evidence of possible obstruction, possible perjury and possible witness tampering as well as potential criminal referrals to the Department of Justice, according to multiple sources familiar with the committee's work.

Democratic Reps. Jamie Raskin, Adam Schiff and Zoe Lofgren and GOP Rep. Liz Cheney, the vice chair of the panel, all trained lawyers, comprise this subcommittee.

The decision of whether to issue criminal referrals has loomed large over the committee. Members on the panel have been in wide agreement that former President Donald Trump and some of his closest allies have committed a crime when he pushed a conspiracy to prevent the peaceful transfer of power, as they've laid out in their hearings. But they have long been split over what to do about it, including whether to make a criminal referral of Trump to the Justice Department.

I can't see how Lumpy can get out of being charged. The committee has been very thorough, and videos show Trump whipping his supporters into a frenzy just before instructing them to go to the Capitol. Once they did as he instructed, they tried to upset the peaceful transition of power. They did as he asked. Trump knows it's coming. The committee knows the former president incited the attack. Indictments are coming. Tick tock.

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