On Tuesday, House January 6 Committee Chair Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., announced that the committee's final work will be to issue criminal referrals to the Justice Department against key figures who helped the attack on the U.S. Capitol happen.
On CNN, reporter Jamie Gangel said that former President Donald Trump, who was already impeached for his role in inciting the insurrection, is almost certainly going to be one of those subject to a referral.
"The committee [is] saying the criminal referrals are going forward based on the organizers and the leaders," said anchor Wolf Blitzer. "Does this suggest that Trump himself might be included?"
"In a word, yes," said Gangel. "We are being told that Trump is likely to be one of the criminal referrals. One source said to me, 'front and center'. We are talking about allies, people around him involved with the attacks."
The committee is well aware that they can't order the Justice Department, which has its own running investigation into the matter through special counsel Jack Smith, to indict Trump, continued Gangel — but they have additional reasons for doing so.
"I think it is important to remember while Congress has no power here — you would be the first to say this is up to DOJ — members of the committee have made it clear they're not trying to pressure the Justice Department," said Gangel. "They feel that these criminal referrals are a critical part of the work, for history, for the record. They must go on the record. It would be notable if they didn't, because of what they found in their evidence and testimony during the hearings."
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