Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) said that the 1/6 Committee is likely to make a criminal referral to the Justice Department.
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Kinzinger said on MSNBC’s Morning Joe:
It’s always tough when you’re dealing with people that are unwilling to talk to a committee like we’ve had. Doj has not prosecuted some of these folks. Okay. That’s their decision. There’s a point at which when it comes to the criminality, that’s not our role. DOJ has, I think, a fulsome investigation going on. That’s where this baton is handed to. Not by us, we may have a criminal referral; I think that’s likely, but with their investigation from here out.
Look, we’ve got to hold people to account. If the rule of law says you can attempt a coup as long as you fail and you won’t be held responsible, that’s way more dangerous for this country than some fear of short-term violence or riots in the street.
A criminal referral from the 1/6 Committee has been a strong possibility in the minds of anyone who has watched the hearings. The committee has built a strong case that Trump and his coup allies broke the law.
However, the Justice Department already has a robust number of investigations ongoing into Donald Trump, so they may already be acting on any potential activity that the committee could flag in its referral.
A referral itself would still be powerful, as it would put an emphatic conclusion on the 1/6 Committee investigation.
Any referral would probably not be released until the committee’s final report is issued in December., but Kinzinger makes it sound likely that a criminal referral of Trump is coming.
Mr. Easley is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association