A year later, where is the investigation trying to establish Donald Trump’s responsibility?

“I believe Donald Trump is 100% responsible for what happened on January 6, 2021, and to all those who will continue to protect him.” A year after the Capitol was attacked by a Trump supporter, a friend of a police officer who was violently killed contacted the former US president. During an interview with the channel PPS*. “He should be in jail”, Threw Sandra Carza. Nevertheless, no investigation has yet established the Republican Party’s responsibility for the attack, which aims to prevent Congress from certifying the victory of his rival, Joe Biden, in the presidential election.

Donald Trump was acquitted in February 2021 by a Republican majority Senate following a move to dismiss him for “calling for rebellion.” But the former president has not yet left the jungle. In a speech he delivered on Thursday, January 6, commemorating the attack on the Capitol, Joe Biden wanted to make a clear statement. “Responsible” In which its predecessor “Confusion”. “Four years of Trump presidency is the saddest crown for this country”, A parliamentary inquiry launched in parallel with the FBI’s massive investigation into the White House’s assessment, hopes to determine its possible faults in the attack that killed five more.

First, the Democrats wanted to be led by an independent two-party group similar to the one that served in the 9/11 attacks. In days (Subscribers article). In a highly polarized country, the support of Republicans would have made it possible to place even more emphasis on the outcome of the trial. But the Conservatives did not take into account their refusal to question the outgoing president.

In June, the Democratic boss of the House of Representatives announced the formation of a special commission of inquiry, which eventually considered only two Republicans. “We can be loyal to Donald Trump or we can be loyal to the Constitution, but neither can do that.” One of them, Representative Liz Cheney, justified*. Through letters and inquiries, elected officials re-collected more than 35,000 documents from the attack and the weeks before. “They are trying to establish the extent to which this uprising was planned.” Steven R., a professor of political science at the American University of Paris. Ekovich explained to franceinfo.

“The goal is to fund the pre-attack demonstration and gather information about the possible responsibility of others close to the White House or Donald Trump in Washington.”

Steven R. Ekovich, politician

to franceinfo

Preliminary documents have revealed the efforts of the former head of state and his relatives to tarnish the outcome of the presidential election. One “Strategic Communication Plan” How the details were established by his team “Encourage citizens to ignore fraudulent election results and pressure members of Congress (…) to testify to Donald Trump’s victory”, Report New York Times*.

The special panel also found a PowerPoint document among 9,000 documents submitted by a former chief executive of Donald Trump. “Options” We must allow the millionaire to retain power even if he fails. Clearly, one of the different scenarios to implement “Rebellion”, Blame Defender*. Among the recommended ways: Declaring a state of emergency by the president or invalidating the decisions of some states by Vice President Mike Pence, who is responsible for leading the certification vote in Congress.

Faced with his No. 2 denial of dealing with such a blow to the Constitution, Donald Trump has decided to continue to publicly put pressure on Mike Pence this time around. On January 6, 2021, just a few hundred yards from Congress, the president attended a demonstration in Washington that drew 40,000 of his supporters. “J ‘I hope Mike does what he has to do. “, He said before inviting the crowd to go to the Capitol.

Although Several alerts were sent to the police in the previous days*, Warning that there is a risk of violence in Washington, but that Capitol Police did not adequately increase its staff. Its agents were quickly drowned out by pro-Trump activists who entered Congress territory. Donald Trump locked himself in the White House and returned.

What did the former US president do in the three hours he was quietly calling his supporters? This is another central question of the parliamentary inquiry, which highlights its inaction. According to Washington Post*, Billionaire followed the violence live on White House television.

Several text messages received by Donald Trump’s former chief executive Mark Meadows called on the editors of the conservative Fox News Channel, politicians and elected officials trapped within Congress to intervene in the White House to end the violence. “He must condemn this ugliness soon.”, Wrote to Mark Meadows, one of the sons of State President Donald Trump Jr. “I need a talk from the Oval Office. (…) Too far away.”

But just 187 minutes later, Donald Trump posted a video of himself with his supporters on Twitter. “Go back home”. One hundred and eighty-seven minutes during this “A magazine photographer was dragged down the stairs”, 138 police officers were injured, select officers were intimidated and “Council chairman’s office looted “, List Washington Post.

“The It’s very unusual to see these things happen without anyone in charge doing anything. “In an interview with, he denounced the head of the special commission CNN*, End of December. “Many items may be subject to legal action, but I believe there is no doubt about the failure of duty.” On behalf of the former US President, numerous Liz Cheney of the Republican Party*.

However, the game is far from over for the Special Commission. In the fall, Mark Meadows stopped cooperating with the trial and refused to testify before lawmakers, facing up to a year in prison for “trying to obstruct congressional hearings.” According to Defender*, Many former Donald Trump collaborators have made several attempts to slow down the investigation (and in the process, protect themselves from potential lawsuits).

The millionaire filed legal action on Jan. 6 to block access to White House documents recording details of its activities. Both courts have already rejected the claim, finding that there is no legal basis for the claim, and the case is now before the Supreme Court. “We are waiting to hear the verdict of the Supreme Court of the country where Donald Trump appointed several conservatives. But it would be surprising if the Supreme Court goes against the other two courts.”, Forward with franceinfo Lauric Henneton, Lecturer At the University of Versailles Saint-Quentin-N-Yewlines.

“If the former president insists that the documents should not be handed over to the committee, it should not be a compliment to his own account.”

Larrick Hennton, story

to franceinfo

The Republican goal is to save time above all else. “Even if his appeals fail, they slow down the process: every time he sues, there is a delay in preparing the documents.”, Steven R. Echowich mentions. There is no guarantee that the Commission will complete its investigation before the by-elections (Middle Ages), In early November, the Republicans seem to be on the verge of victory. If the House of Representatives wins, the GOP may end the investigation. So this is the real competition against the clock that started in Washington.

The commission wants to make the first report on the attack this summer Washington Post*. She had already warned that she was thinking When the courts have executed more than 700 indictments and the sentences of 70 activists, make recommendations to the Federal Attorney’s Office considering possible criminal action. This survey “It also aims to prevent a recurrence of this violence, so new legislation needs to be enacted.”, Recalled Larrick Hendon.

“One of the things the Commission needs to look at in terms of the law is whether we should toughen the penalties for this kind of duty misconduct.”

Liz Cheney, Republican Vice President of the Commission of Inquiry

On the American channel ABC

Through this investigation, Democrats hope, above all, to respond to the conspiracy theories and misinformation published by pro-Trump activists since the day of the presidential election. “The purpose is to document the facts and, above all, to establish the official account for this day of January 6th., Analysis Lauric Henneton. Car lAmerica today is immersed in a war of stories between Trump supporters, who have their own reality, and others. “

* These links refer to articles or content in English.