ABOUT THE CASE AGAINST TRUMP

The congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol now has enough evidence to answer a historically significant question: Should it refer former President Donald Trump to the Justice Department for criminal prosecution for his role in the insurrection that very nearly halted the peaceful transfer of power?

The answer is yes. The gravity of the accusations against the former president and the evidence being amassed are such that failing to do so would send a strong message that fear and intimidation to escape consequences will work even at the highest levels of American government.

Rep. Liz Cheney, one of only two Republicans on the committee, said recently: “It’s actually clear that what President Trump was dealing with — what a number of people around him were doing — that they knew it was awful, that they did it anyway. ... I think what we have seen is a massive and well-organized and well-planned effort that used multiple tools to try to overturn an election.”

The committee must know that no matter what the outcome, Trump and his allies have decided from the outset that this is a partisan witch hunt. No matter that Cheney, a strong Republican voice, is on the panel. No matter that the evidence shows otherwise. Just as with Trump’s false narrative about the election, he has shown that he is indifferent to facts and truth.

That should not stop this committee from doing its duty. If it has the evidence — and it appears it does — it must send the referral. … This is about a committee having the courage to act on its convictions and on the immense amount of work that has gone before.