On Monday, the Jan. 6 select House committee unanimously voted to refer former President Donald Trump to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for criminal investigation for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
The committee claims there is sufficient evidence for four crimes:
– Obstructing an official proceeding
– Conspiracy to defraud the government
– Knowingly and willfully make false statements to the federal government
– Inciting or assisting an insurrection
The decision concludes almost 18 months of investigation, including over 1,200 witness interviews, examination of countless documents, over 100 subpoenas, and public hearings.
The DOJ is already conducting its own investigation on Trump and while it takes criminal referrals seriously, it is not obligated to charge anyone with a crime.
If Trump is charged and convicted, it would bar the former president from holding federal office again under the 14th Amendment.
Last month, Trump announced his third run for the White House in the 2024 presidential election.
