Dear John,

Sign the petition: Tell the House Jan. 6 committee to formally refer criminal charges against Donald Trump and his coup accomplices to the attorney general.

The Jan. 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.

Many have expected the committee to make a "criminal referral" after the hearings—a formal, public statement to Attorney General Merrick Garland and other law enforcement officers with the recommendation that the Justice Department 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!

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.

Add your name

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.

Sign the petition telling the Jan. 6 committee that if it has found legal wrongdoing, it should say so explicitly by formally handing over their findings and conclusions for the Department of Justice to take action. Please share this petition with your friends and family.

Thanks for all you do,

— MoveOn

Sources:

1.A 'sophisticated' 7-part plan. 'Slipping in people's blood': Takeaways from prime-time Jan. 6 hearing," USA Today. June 10, 2022. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2022/06/10/takeaways-jan-6-hearing-trump-capitol-attack/7558787001/?gnt-cfr=1

2."Jan. 6 Committee Says a Trump Criminal Referral Is Still on the Table,"Rolling Stone. June 14, 2022. https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/jan-6-committee-trump-criminal-referral-1367769/

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