The January 6 House Select Committee said they have evidence that could lead to potential criminal charges against Former President Donald Trump. They allege Trump engaged in a “criminal conspiracy to defraud the United States,” according to the court filing.
The committee submitted the filing to the U.S. District Court in the Central District of California on March 2. The legislative committee, composed of Democrats and created by the Biden administration, has no authority to actually charge Trump, per The New York Times.
The charges suggested against Trump are obstructing an official proceeding, interfering in election certification, spreading false information about election results, and violating the District of Columbia’s common fraud law.
Committee members allege that Trump misled American citizens to believe there had been election fraud and pushed his top advisers to organize the overturn of the 2020 election. Their findings show alleged proof that Trump knew he lost and manipulated former Vice President Mike Pence to stop counting electoral votes, according to Miller.
Additionally, Federal District Court Judge Amit P. Mehta mentioned it is “Plausible to believe that the president entered into a conspiracy with the rioters on Jan. 6, 2021.”
The filing adds, “In addition to the legal effort to delay the certification, there is also evidence that the conspiracy extended to the rioters engaged in acts of violence at the Capitol.”
According to Politico, the committee has interviewed over 650 individuals in regards to the Capitol breach on January 6, 2021.
The committee has received testimonies from Trump’s campaign adviser Jason Miller, Pence national security adviser Keith Kellogg, Pence chief of staff Marc Short, Pence counsel Greg Jacob, White House communications aide Ben Williamson, and officials from the Top Justice Department.
The filing of suggested charges against Trump comes in part as an attempt to push Trump’s attorney, John Eastman, to reveal further emails the committee believes would tie its existing evidence and theories together.
One email revealed was an exchange between Eastman and Jacob at the time of the Capitol breach.
Jacob wrote, “Thanks to your [expletive referring to Eastman’s alleged actions], we are now under siege,” to which Eastman replied, “The ‘siege’ is because YOU and your boss did not do what was necessary to allow this to be aired in a public way so the American people can see for themselves what happened.”
Eastman has released around 8,000 emails but has around 19,000 he wants to remain protected for privacy. He sued the committee for subpoenaing him to release the rest of the emails and is attempting to have a judge block the subpoena completely.
Eastman’s attorney, Charles Burnham, stated, “Because this is a civil matter, Dr. Eastman will not have the benefit of the Constitutional protections normally afforded to those accused by their government of criminal conduct. Nonetheless, we look forward to responding in due course.”
The House Select Committee also subpoenaed former Fox News host and Donald Trump Jr.’s fiancée, Kimberly Guilfoyle, according to MSN News, seeking information about conversations between the two on the day of the Capitol breach.
The subpoena, issued after Guilfoyle did not show up to a meeting with the committee, claimed access to her phone records.
Committee Chairman Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson claimed, “Ms. Guilfoyle met with Donald Trump inside the White House, spoke at the rally that took place before the riot on January 6th and apparently played a key role organizing and raising funds for that event. Because Ms. Guilfoyle backed out of her original commitment to provide a voluntary interview, we are issuing today’s subpoena that will compel her to testify. We expect her to comply with the law and cooperate.”
The committee is focused on pressuring Attorney General Merrick B. Garland to take the case. According to Reuters, former trial lawyer for the Justice Department’s anti-fraud unit, Ankush Khardori, commented, “I’m not sure the Justice Department is even investigating this criminally. That’s the open question.”
A statement from Trump on March 3 suggests that the committee is politically motivated and attempting to keep him from running for reelection as President.
“The Unselect Committee’s sole goal is to try to prevent President Trump, who is leading by large margins in every poll, from running again for president if I so choose. By so doing, they are destroying democracy as we know it,” Trump said. “Their lies and Marxist tactics against political opponents will not stop the truth, or the biggest political movement, Make America Great Again/America First, in the history of our Country,” he added.
Regardless of the evidence the committee has brought forth, investigators will still have to prove their allegations.
