Final report on the storming of the US Capitol: ‘The main cause was Donald Trump’ British economy shrinks faster than expected

The commission of inquiry into the storming of the US Capitol published its final report shortly before Christmas. The more than 800-page document accuses former US President Donald Trump, among other things, of a multipart conspiracy to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. The report released Thursday night (local time) concludes, “The central cause of January 6 was a man, former President Donald Trump.” At its final public hearing on Monday, the panel recommended prosecuting Trump on four counts.

“The work of the Commission of Inquiry underscores that our democratic institutions are only as strong as the commitment of those charged with overseeing them,” US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi wrote in a foreword to the report. The results should be a call to all Americans to “keep our democracy vigilant and give our vote only to those who dutifully defend our Constitution.”

On January 6, 2021, Trump supporters stormed the seat of the US Congress, where the Republican’s election defeat to Joe Biden was to be ratified. A mob incited by Trump violently entered the building, killing five people. The commission had been investigating the incident for the past 18 months. The panel staged the public hearings as a TV spectacle that many people watched.

At its latest public hearing on Monday, the investigative committee unanimously recommended that the Justice Department take criminal action against Trump and others involved. It is unclear if or when this will happen, as the decision is not legally binding. Nevertheless, the move sends a clear signal and makes prosecution of Trump, who wants to run again as a Republican candidate in the 2024 presidential election, more likely.

The accusations against the ex-president weigh heavily: the panel accuses him, among other things, of inciting riots. Trump and others involved, such as his former legal adviser John Eastman, are also accused of obstructing a public hearing, conspiring against the US government and making false claims to the state.

Trump himself has always defended himself against the allegations and repeatedly railed against the work of the committee. He dismissed all allegations as politically motivated. After Monday’s hearing, the ex-president again attacked the committee and repeated his lie about voter fraud. “What doesn’t kill me makes me stronger,” he wrote on Truth Social, a platform he co-founded.

The Justice Department must now determine whether it has sufficient evidence to take further action against the Republican: Trump could eventually be indicted. The rare crime of rioting is the most serious: it is committed under U.S. law when it incites or participates in rebellion against state authority or law. This is punishable by a fine or imprisonment for up to ten years or both. If Trump is convicted of sedition, he will no longer be allowed to hold political office. (aeg/sda/dpa)