US Capitol riot panel to meet, vote on Trump criminal referrals

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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 (18.00 GMT) 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 shockwaves across the country and around the world.

The panel will decide whether or not 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.

Lawmakers cannot authorise charges themselves, but can make recommendations to the Justice Department, which has already appointed a special counsel to look into Trump’s role in the Capitol riot and his efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

Their vote is non-binding and largely symbolic — the decision on charges for Trump will ultimately rest with Attorney General Merrick Garland.

The three charges reportedly being considered could result in prison time and a ban from public office for the former president, who still wields considerable power in the Republican Party.

“I think that the evidence is there that Donald Trump committed criminal offences in connection with his efforts to overturn the election,” Democratic committee member Adam Schiff — a former federal prosecutor — told CNN on Sunday.

The committee may also make legislative recommendations to protect the process of certifying election results.

Its final report is due for release on Wednesday.