Topline
The House committee investigating the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol said on Wednesday that they had adequate evidence which shows that former President Donald Trump and his allies engaged in “criminal conspiracy” in an attempt to overturn the 2020 elections, outlining the first major effort by the lawmakers to link Trump’ actions to a federal crime.
U.S. President Donald Trump waits with Interim President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, … [+]
Key Facts
The allegations against Trump were made in a California court filing responding to a civil lawsuit by an adviser of the former president John Eastman, according to the Associated Press.
The committee claimed that it gathered evidence which showed that Trump, Eastman and others could potentially be hit with criminal charges including an effort to obstruct the certification of election results by Congress and “conspiracy to defraud the United States.”
The filing also alleges that the former president’s repeated false claims about the election being stolen may have broken a statute against fraud, the New York Times reported.
The court filing is the first formal effort by the committee to link Trump’ actions to a federal crime, however, the lawmakers themselves do not have the power to bring criminal charges on their own.
Based on its findings, the committee is expected to make a referral to the Justice Department, which may then choose to pursue the case.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2022/03/03/january-6-house-panel-alleges-criminal-conspiracy-by-trump-in-court-filing/