US lawmakers consider 'insurrection' charges against former president Trump

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US lawmakers investigating the 6 January 2021 attack on the Capitol are considering recommending the Justice Department pursue an unprecedented criminal charge of insurrection and two other counts against former President Donald Trump.

As well as insurrection, according to various outlets, the panel will suggest Mr Trump be charged with obstructing an official proceeding and conspiracy to defraud the United States.

The committee’s deliberations continued late on Friday evening, and no decisions were formalised on which specific charges the committee would refer to the Justice Department. The panel is to meet publicly Monday afternoon when any recommendation will be made public.

A second person familiar with the deliberations, who also could not publicly discuss details of the private deliberations, confirmed the committee was considering three charges. The panel's lawyers argued, according to that person, that those three criminal statutes were the strongest cases to make.