Reporting on DOJ’s January 6th Trump Investigation Ramping Up

President Trump and crowd at the “Stop the Steal” rally January 6th, 2021 in Washington DC. Photo by Voice of America, [Public domain] via Wikimedia Commons

There still seems to be way more talking about what they might do than substance to what they are doing currently, but something is matriculating from 950 Pennsylvania Avenue in regard to what the former resident of 1400 Pennsylvania Avenue had to do with the mess on January 6th, 2021 a few blocks down at First St SE.

Washington Post:

The Justice Department efforts are separate from the inquiry underway by the House committee, which has sought to portray Trump as responsible for inciting the Capitol riot and for being derelict in his duty for refusing to stop it. Both Short and Jacob have testified before the committee, telling lawmakers that Pence resisted Trump’s attempts to enlist him in the cause.

Unlike the Justice Department, the House panel does not have the power to launch criminal investigations or charge anyone with wrongdoing.

More than 840 suspects have been charged in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot

The Justice Department probe began amid the smoke, blood and chaos at the Capitol and has led to criminal charges against more than 840 individuals, expanding to include an examination of events that occurred elsewhere in the days and weeks before the attack — including at the White House, in state capitols and at a D.C. hotel.

There are two principal tracks of the investigation that could ultimately lead to additional scrutiny of Trump, two people familiar with the situation said, also speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation.

The first centers on seditious conspiracy and conspiracy to obstruct a government proceeding, the type of charges already filed against individuals who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6 and on two leaders of far-right groups, Stewart Rhodes and Henry “Enrique” Tarrio, who did not breach the Capitol but were allegedly involved in planning the day’s events.

The second involves potential fraud associated with the false-electors scheme or with pressure Trump and his allies allegedly put on the Justice Department and others to falsely claim that the election was rigged and votes were fraudulently cast.

Recent subpoenas obtained by The Post show that two Arizona state legislators were ordered to turn over communications with “any member, employee, or agent of Donald J. Trump or any organization advocating in favor of the 2020 re-election of Donald J. Trump, including ‘Donald J. Trump for President, Inc.’ ”

No former president has ever been charged with a crime in the country’s history. In cases when investigators found evidence suggesting a president engaged in criminal conduct, as with Richard M. Nixon and Bill Clinton, investigators and successive administrations concluded it was better to grant immunity or forgo prosecution. One goal was to avoid appearing to use government power to punish political enemies and assure the tradition of a peaceful transfer of power.

The important part of all this, of course, is that unlike the January 6th Committee — which is getting press and prime time slots but has no authority to charge or prosecute — DOJ can actually do something other than talk and refer. 840 defendants so far, but it is one in particular that will dominate any further investigation: former President Donald J. Trump.

If DOJ and AG Garland push for a conspiracy or sedition case against Trump and/or members of his inner circle involved on January 6th, we will be in unprecedented territory, it will be the biggest political story ever bar none, and it will likely go on for quite some time. Plenty of folks in and out of the media want it to happen, and sooner the better for most of them, but like many things probably best for the rest of us to wait and let it develop.

Whatever is coming next, we are far from the end of hearing about January 6th. If Trump runs for president, as every indication points too, we are really in for a wild ride. Go tell your younger self from however long ago that the dominant issue in a presidential race could very well be the twice impeached former president fighting an indictment/trail for how his last term ended?

Strange days, indeed.