Adam Schiff Says Trump Violated ‘Multiple’ Laws On January 6, But Declines To Say What Charges He Should Face

Topline

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) said the House Committee investigating the January 6 Capitol riot has uncovered evidence that warrants criminal charges against former President Donald Trump, but would not say what those specific charges could be during an interview Sunday, a day before the committee’s final hearing on the probe.

Key Facts

Schiff, who is a member of the committee, said on CNN’s “State of the Union” he believes the former president “has violated multiple criminal laws” when he pressured state officials to “find votes that didn’t exist” in an effort to sway the results of the 2020 presidential election in his favor.

Schiff said other possible criminal probes Trump could face include Trump’s interference in Congress’ certification of the presidential election results on January 6, 2021, along with his actions that led “a mob to attack the Capitol.”

The committee on Monday will also consider how to handle the lawmakers who refused to comply with its probe by ignoring subpoena requests, Schiff said.

Censures, ethics referrals or criminal referrals to another branch of government are among the options the committee is considering in relation to the other lawmakers, Schiff said.

The Department of Justice ultimately has authority over whether to pursue criminal charges referred by the committee.

Key Background

The committee is expected to vote Monday on whether it will encourage the Justice Department to investigate Trump for charges of insurrection, obstruction of an official proceeding and conspiracy to defraud the government, according to multiple reports. The committee could also refer others in Trump’s orbit to the Justice Department. Trump already faces DOJ probes of his activities related to the January 6 insurrection, along with his handling of classified documents from his presidency that were found at Mar-A-Lago in an FBI raid in August.

What To Watch For

Following Monday’s final hearing, the committee is expected to release the full results of its 16-month investigation in a report set to be released later in the week. The report will detail Trump’s efforts to sow distrust in the election process, his campaign to pressure federal and state officials to invalidate the results, along with his influence over the rioters and his refusal to tell them to leave the Capitol, Politico reported. The committee is expected to be dissolved when Republicans take over the House in January.

Contra

Trump’s spokesperson Steven Cheung denounced the January 6 committee as “Never Trump partisans who are a stain on this country’s history.” Cheung made the comments to Politico in response to reports that Trump could face criminal referrals for three specific charges, adding that the committee’s work “insults Amercians’ intelligence and makes a mockery of our democracy.”

Further Reading

Jan. 6 Committee: Lawmakers Subpoena Trump In Final Hearing (Forbes)

Jan. 6 Committee May Vote To Criminally Charge Trump (Forbes)

Trump May Testify To Jan. 6 Committee As Deadline Looms, Liz Cheney Suggests (Forbes)