[ [link removed] ]Ask the House January 6 committee to formally refer criminal charges
against Donald Trump to the attorney general.

Dear MoveOn member, 

The January 6 select committee is outlining a wide-ranging criminal
conspiracy to sabotage the 2020 election, with Donald Trump at the
center.^1 
 
But it seems there's still debate within the committee over what their
next move should be after the hearings. While the committee can
investigate and share its evidence with the public, it does not have the
power to prosecute, a power that sits with Attorney General Merrick
Garland or state prosecutors.
 
Many have expected the committee to make a "criminal referral" after the
hearings—a formal, public statement to Attorney General Garland and other
law enforcement officers with the recommendation that the Department of
Justice prosecute Trump and his accomplices. However, the committee has
not yet decided. On Monday, committee Chair Bennie Thompson told reporters
that the committee would not be making a criminal referral, but other
members of the committee have pushed back on this.^2 Public outrage over
Trump's criminal conspiracy could show that we demand not only information
but action! The attorney general will make his own determination of the
case, but [ [link removed] ]if the committee has found legal wrongdoing, they should say
so explicitly by formally handing over their findings and conclusions for
the Department of Justice to take action.

The House committee investigating January 6 has amassed a complete and
damning case about Donald Trump's wide conspiracy, which led to the deadly
insurrection. The committee should take one more step: Submit a criminal
referral to Attorney General Merrick Garland.

[3]Sign the petition

The committee has done important and compelling work bringing to light the
truth about this historic and horrific set of events. But they shouldn't
stop there. While it is critical that we all learn the truth, we also have
to act on it—and prosecute Trump and the members of his inner circle who
were central to this coup attempt. 
 
Some caution that a criminal referral from the committee would cloud any
prosecution with the appearance of politics. But the opposite is true. The
committee is bipartisan, and Liz Cheney, one of its Republicans, appears
to be the most vocal supporter of making a criminal referral. It would be
partisan to let MAGA Republican threats and scare tactics prevent the
committee from fulfilling its duty to articulate the full range of the
ongoing threat to American democracy. 
 
If we don't prosecute Trump, then the attempted coup following the 2020
election will end up being only a rehearsal for a next attempt, as people
will see there are no consequences for attempting to overturn our
elections. 
 
[ [link removed] ]Add your name: The committee should make a formal criminal referral to
Attorney General Merrick Garland so the full force of the Justice
Department is brought to bear to hold Trump and others accountable for
these treasonous and deadly acts. 

Thanks for all you do.

–David, Alexis, Nakia, Justin, and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. "A 'sophisticated' 7-part plan. 'Slipping in people's blood': Takeaways
from prime-time Jan. 6 hearing," USA Today, June 10, 2022
[link removed]

2. "Jan. 6 Committee Says a Trump Criminal Referral Is Still on the
Table," Rolling Stone, June 14, 2022
[link removed] 




Want to support MoveOn's work? Donald Trump's preparations for being able
to steal the presidency in 2024 are well underway and include working to
replace top election officials in battleground states with his own
loyalists. Which is why MoveOn is doing something we've never done in our
23-year history: We're launching a powerful, multimillion-dollar effort to
defeat Trump-backed secretaries of state across the country and elect
individuals who will count every vote and ensure fair elections.



[ [link removed] ]Yes, I'll chip in $5 a month.

[ [link removed] ]No, I'm sorry, I can't make a monthly donation.







--------------------------------------------------------------------------

PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION,
[ [link removed] ][link removed]?. Not authorized by any candidate or
candidate's committee.



You can unsubscribe from this mailing list at any time:
[link removed]