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Jan. 6 hearing highlights Committee refers Trump to Justice Department for prosecution

Key updates
Secret Service official reportedly told committee Trump didn’t assault him
Trump rails against Jan. 6 committee: ‘What doesn’t kill me makes me stronger’
Electoral Count Act, crafted in response to Jan. 6, will be included in omnibus bill
On Dec. 19, the House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection wrapped proceedings and made criminal referrals for former president Donald Trump. (Video: Blair Guild/The Washington Post)
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Updated December 19, 2022 at 8:03 p.m. EST|Published December 19, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. EST

The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol voted Monday to send to Justice Department prosecutors a recommendation that former president Donald Trump be charged with four crimes: inciting or assisting an insurrection, obstruction of an official proceeding of Congress, conspiracy to defraud the United States and conspiracy to make a false statement. The move has no legal weight, but marks the first time Congress has made such a referral for a former president.

Secret Service official reportedly told committee Trump didn’t assault him
Trump rails against Jan. 6 committee: ‘What doesn’t kill me makes me stronger’
Electoral Count Act, crafted in response to Jan. 6, will be included in omnibus bill

Here’s what to know

  • The committee is also referring four Republican House members — Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (Calif.) and Reps. Jim Jordan (Ohio), Scott Perry (Pa.), and Andy Biggs (Ariz.) — to the Ethics Committee for ignoring the panel’s subpoenas.
  • The committee released the first part of its final report. Panel members have agreed to make all evidence and transcripts of depositions publicly available. Chairman Bennie G. Thompson (D-Miss.) said most “non-sensitive” materials would be released by the end of the year.
  • Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), the panel’s vice chairwoman, accused Trump of an “utter moral failure and a clear dereliction of duty” and said he is “unfit for any office.”
  • Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), a panel member, said that Trump used prolific fundraising based on his false claims of voter fraud in “concerning” ways. Some of the money was used to “provide or offer employment to witnesses,” Lofgren said.
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Here's what to know:

The committee is also referring four Republican House members — Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (Calif.) and Reps. Jim Jordan (Ohio), Scott Perry (Pa.), and Andy Biggs (Ariz.) — to the Ethics Committee for ignoring the panel’s subpoenas.
The committee released the first part of its final report. Panel members have agreed to make all evidence and transcripts of depositions publicly available. Chairman Bennie G. Thompson (D-Miss.) said most “non-sensitive” materials would be released by the end of the year.
Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), the panel’s vice chairwoman, accused Trump of an “utter moral failure and a clear dereliction of duty” and said he is “unfit for any office.”
Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), a panel member, said that Trump used prolific fundraising based on his false claims of voter fraud in “concerning” ways. Some of the money was used to “provide or offer employment to witnesses,” Lofgren said.

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The Jan. 6 insurrection

The report: The Jan. 6 committee released its final report, marking the culmination of an 18-month investigation into the violent insurrection. Read The Post’s analysis about the committee’s new findings and conclusions.

The final hearing: The House committee investigating the attack on the U.S. Capitol held its final public meeting where members referred four criminal charges against former president Donald Trump and others to the Justice Department. Here’s what the criminal referrals mean.

The riot: On Jan. 6, 2021, a pro-Trump mob stormed the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to stop the certification of the 2020 election results. Five people died on that day or in the immediate aftermath, and 140 police officers were assaulted.

Inside the siege: During the rampage, rioters came perilously close to penetrating the inner sanctums of the building while lawmakers were still there, including former vice president Mike Pence. The Washington Post examined text messages, photos and videos to create a video timeline of what happened on Jan. 6. Here’s what we know about what Trump did on Jan. 6.

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