The chairman of the Home Jan. 6 committee, Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., expects the panel to make legal referrals to the Division of Justice, he informed reporters Tuesday.
“We’ve got made choices on legal referrals,” Thompson mentioned.
Thompson mentioned the panel has but to formalize its determination. He additionally declined to say which people could be topic to the referrals or what number of he expects the panel to make.
Committee members beforehand signaled the opportunity of sending a number of legal referrals to the Justice Division involving former President Donald Trump and his efforts to overturn the 2020 election outcomes, based mostly on proof they’ve uncovered investigating the occasions surrounding the assault on the Capitol.
Final July, Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., the vice chair and one among two Republicans on the panel, informed ABC Information that the committee would decide about whether or not to alert the Justice Division to doable crimes it has uncovered.
“The Justice Division doesn’t have to attend for the committee to make a legal referral, and there may very well be multiple legal referral,” she mentioned on ABC’s “This Week” in July.
Cheney pointed to a public listening to in June that featured explosive testimony from Cassidy Hutchinson, former prime aide to Trump White Home chief of workers Mark Meadows. In her testimony, Hutchinson detailed outbursts of rage from Trump as he urged his supporters to march to the Capitol on Jan. 6, which included demanding his aides to do away with magnetometers close to the White Home earlier than he addressed a “Cease the Steal” rally on the Ellipse.
“It’s very chilling, and I feel we are going to, you understand, proceed to current to the American individuals what we discovered,” Cheney mentioned on the time, referring to particulars Hutchinson shared in her testimony.
The panel has been conflicted over whether or not to concern refer its findings to the Justice Division. Thompson informed reporters in June that “we wouldn’t have authority” when requested whether or not the panel dominated out potential legal expenses for the previous president.
This can be a growing story. Please verify again for updates.
