John,

A year ago today, then-President Trump incited a deadly insurrection. It was a tragic day, and a blight upon our history that we remember solemnly today.

The January 6th attack on the Capitol was a violent assault on our democracy. But make no mistake—while hundreds of the people who stormed the Capitol are on their way to being held accountable by our justice system, Trump, his allies in Congress, and others who fueled the insurrection and continue to spread the Big Lie have thus far largely escaped unscathed.

That is not the final word though. Here are some bright spots and opportunities in the fight for real accountability:

Corporations and industry groups have donated more than $18 million to help re-elect the Sedition Caucus—the 147 members of Congress who objected to certifying the election results. That’s outrageous—but it’s not all bad news. At least 134 companies have kept their promise not to donate to the Sedition Caucus, and with public pressure, many of them may continue to keep that commitment. What’s more, overall corporate giving to seditionist members of Congress is down compared to previous years. While we shouldn’t give a pass to the companies that are helping to re-elect people who attacked our democracy and we must keep the pressure on companies to do the right thing, that’s a sign that outrage and public pressure are having a real impact.
The Fulton County DA is still investigating Trump for his phone call to Georgia’s Secretary of State, asking him to overturn Georgia’s election results. The day after that phone call became public, CREW filed a criminal complaint, outlining the violations that the DA is reportedly exploring. That phone call was part of Trump’s overall assault on our elections, and if he were to face criminal charges, it would be a huge step toward accountability for the insurrection.
The January 6th Select Committee is continuing their important work. The committee has been moving quickly and aggressively and is planning public hearings and reports in the coming weeks to help shed more light on what we know so far. They’ve already interviewed more than 250 people and subpoenaed more than 50, and two people—Steve Bannon and Mark Meadows—have been referred to the Justice Department for possible charges of criminal contempt of Congress for failing to testify. Bannon has been indicted by the DOJ, while Meadows has yet to be. The committee has already uncovered new information, like a Powerpoint that laid out a strategy for overturning the election results that was sent to Mark Meadows on January 5 and called for Trump to declare a national security emergency to delay the January 6th electoral certification. We’ll likely learn much more in the coming weeks.
CREW’s investigations have also already unearthed new information—like the fact that Park Police was overwhelmed hours before the assault on the Capitol, and more details about the funding behind the rally that preceded the insurrection. Getting answers about what happened, why law enforcement was so unprepared, who was behind efforts to overturn the election, and more isn’t a substitute for accountability—but it’s a key step on the way, and we’ve already learned a great deal.

It is incredibly disheartening to be a year out from the insurrection with so little accountability for Trump and others who helped incite the insurrection, like Senators Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley. It is not hyperbole to say that our democracy is facing serious threats. Today should include somber reflection about the traumatic events of a year ago and sober analysis of the very real and continuing dangers. But we also should not lose hope, and there is ample reason to maintain it. There are avenues for accountability and solutions to the threats we face. Here at CREW, we’re not giving up the fight, and we hope you won’t either.

Thank you,

Noah Bookbinder
President, CREW