The Committee is responsible for examining the Ministry of Justice (and associated public bodies) including courts, legal aid, prisons and probation. It also advises on sentencing guidelines and the rule of law.
The panel’s summary paints a picture of a president attempting to overpower, pressure and cajole anyone who stood in his way — all while knowing that many of his schemes were unlawful. The arm-twisting targeted election officials in battleground states, senior Justice Department leaders, state lawmakers and others. It cites evidence of witness tampering, and the summary includes new details about Trump allies seeking pardons in the aftermath of January 6.
It also outlines why the committee believes the facts support criminal referrals to the Justice Department. It cites 17 findings, including that Trump knew the fraud allegations he was pushing were false and continued to amplify them anyway, and that he directed his campaign to spread misinformation about voter fraud.
A number of those referred by the select committee have already been charged with crimes, including conspiracy to obstruct justice. The House will vote next week on whether to pass a resolution that would authorize the attorney general to pursue those cases.
If that vote is successful, the resolution will then move to the Senate, where it will be considered by the Judiciary Committee. The report would then move to the floor of the Senate for a vote, which is expected to be late this month.
In addition to the referrals, the committee’s summary recommends that several other individuals and organizations be examined for possible obstruction of justice. Those include former White House communications director Hope Hicks, who testified that she suggested to her boss several times that the president make a statement ahead of January 6 calling for peaceful protests that day. It also mentions aides who helped draft the letter from Attorney General Jeff Clark to election officials in battleground states urging them to essentially overturn their elections, and it flags statements that Trump and his allies made about the Department’s findings on election fraud.
The select committee is at a critical point, with two members deciding to leave Congress after this year, and the remaining members facing difficult reelections. The investigation could set the stage for a major constitutional conflict between the executive and legislative branches of government. The chairman of the committee, Democrat Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland, is well-versed in the history of civil rights struggles and has made domestic extremism a focus of his work. He’s also a former chair of the committee that investigated the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, and has spoken frequently about the connection between white supremacy and terrorism. The panel’s other top Democrat, Rep. Katherine Murphy of Florida, has also opted not to seek another term, but she says her decision has nothing to do with the investigation. She said she wants to spend more time with her family, and cited an onslaught of threats since she was seated on the committee.