Trump blasts ‘thugs and scoundrels’ of January 6 panel as it weighs criminal referrals
- Donald Trump awaits the most serious blow yet from House lawmakers investigating the January 6 Capitol attack
- He faces a possible recommendation that he be prosecuted just as he’s launching a comeback bid for the White House
Wrapping up an 18-month probe into last year’s deadly attack on the US Capitol, lawmakers will convene on Monday to vote on whether to recommend criminal charges against former president Donald Trump and some of his closest aides.
The select House of Representatives committee has interviewed more than 1,000 witnesses and held explosive public hearings into what happened on January 6, 2021 - and who was responsible for it.
The panel, made up of seven Democrats and two Republicans, will meet at 1pm ET (2am Tuesday Hong Kong time) to unveil the findings on their investigation into the deadly riot, in which Trump supporters - who falsely claimed that the 2020 election was stolen from him by Joe Biden - ransacked the Capitol.
At least five people died in connection with the melee and 140 police officers were injured. About 900 people have been arrested in connection with the violent rampage, which sent shock waves across the country and around the world.
The panel will decide whether to recommend that the Justice Department seek charges against Trump - who is running to retake the Oval Office in the 2024 election – on at least three counts, according to reports.
Those charges would be inciting an insurrection, obstruction of an official proceeding and conspiracy to defraud the US government, NBC News reported Sunday.