The parliamentary inquiry into the storming of the US Capitol sees responsibility for the events on January 6, 2021 in the hands of ex-US President Donald Trump. This “provokes the protesters to riot,” said committee chair Bennie Thompson when presenting the first research results on Thursday. The storming was “the culmination of a coup attempt”.
During the session, the panel showed video footage and excerpts from interviews with former members of the Trump administration. For example, former Attorney General William Barr described Trump’s allegations of voter fraud as “bullshit”. Barr said he had several conversations with Trump on the subject after the presidential election in November 2020. He had repeatedly told the president unequivocally that he saw no evidence of electoral fraud. Even a year and a half later, he sees nothing that would change his mind. He called these kinds of claims “crazy”.
Capitol Attack Was ‘Not a Spontaneous Rebellion’
Committee members accused Trump of fomenting angry crowds with his allegations of fraud. Deputy Committee Chair Liz Cheney, a critic of Republicans and Trump, said the attack was “not a spontaneous uprising.” “President Trump called the crowd, gathered the crowd and lit the flame of this attack.” For months, Trump coordinated a comprehensive plan to reverse the presidential election results and prevent the transfer of power to his successor.
The panel revealed that Trump spoke positively about threats from his supporters against Vice President Mike Pence during the storming of the Capitol. Citing the panel’s findings, he said Trump was aware of the threats and said, “Maybe our supporters have the right idea.” Pence deserves it, Cheney Trump continued. On January 6, 2021, Pence, in his role as vice president, chaired the congressional session that confirmed Biden’s election victory. Trump’s supporters were also looking for Pence in the building at the time, calling him a traitor and threatening to hang him for failing to prevent Biden’s confirmation.
The Commission of Inquiry had spent months questioning hundreds of witnesses behind closed doors and examining vast amounts of documents and evidence. Excerpts from the surveys were shown for the first time in the open hearing – including that of former Attorney General Barr. Further public hearings from the panel will follow in the coming weeks. The next meeting is scheduled for Monday.
Five people died in the riots
On January 6, 2021, supporters of the out-voted president violently stormed the seat of parliament in the capital Washington. Congress met there to confirm Biden’s election victory. Five people, including a police officer, were killed in the riots.
Trump had recently incited his supporters at a rally that his election victory had been stolen. The Congressional Commission of Inquiry was formed to investigate the background to the attack on the Capitol.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
