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John --

It's hard to believe our work on the January 6th Committee has come to an end. What began as a monumental quest for the truth has been distilled into a monumental report that is now committed to history.

On election night 2020, when my victory was called, I never imagined the sitting President of the United States would refuse to concede and spread lies to incite his supporters to attack the U.S. Capitol on one of our republic's darkest days.

His lies called me to stand for truth; his lies called me to vote for impeachment, despite knowing it could cost me my job; his lies called me to accept an appointment to serve on the January 6th Committee, despite the violent threats to my family; and his lies called us all to the Country First Movement.

Donald Trump may have brought out the worst in a lot of people; but his threat to democracy brought out the best in a lot of us, too.

>> I am incredibly grateful for your moral support of this movement. If a year-end gift is not too much to ask, would you consider giving us a great head start toward 2023's success?

Had I known that standing up for the truth would mean sacrificing my job, friendships, and even my personal security, I would -- without hesitation -- do it all over again. I can rest easy at night knowing I fulfilled my oath of office; that our committee's work may help prevent this from happening again; and that the impact of Country First has just begun.

I have sworn an oath, both in uniform and in office, to protect this nation and its constitution. And I carry that oath forward as our movement continues to grow every day.

And if the past is any predictor of the future – the sky is the limit for what Country First can accomplish.  In 2022, our Primary First operation succeeded in defending some good guys, and taking out some bad guys.  Our General Election operation was even more successful, and focused on supporting Secretary of State candidates in 2024 battleground states.

With your help, Country First won each of our targeted Governor and Secretary of State races, making it harder for Donald Trump – or anyone else – to steal the election in 2024.

Support our Critical Mission

As we move forward to 2023, I’m excited for all Country First has in the pipeline.  We will continue to defend democracy and go after those who threaten it.  Step by step -- even the occasional step backward -- we are heading for victory!

It's an honor to have you alongside me. Thank you for believing our democracy is worth it.

Country First,

Adam

1/6 Committee Digest

Country First presents the final edition of The Digest to highlight the important work of the 1/6 Committee. We would like to give our deepest thanks to the team of volunteers who've spent many hours and late nights helping to compile these digests for the benefit of our movement over the past year, including: Emily H.; Mikayla T.; Amy D.T.; Bob G.; Max F.; Arthur H.; Nathan D.; and James C. 

COMING SOON: 

  • The 1/6 Committee is due to release its complete final report on Thursday, December 22nd.

Here are the major developments from the committee's final meeting: 

1/6 Committee Refers Ex-President the DOJ on Four Counts

On Monday, the 1/6 Committee completed its year-long investigation of Trump's attempted coup by criminally referring the former president to the Department of Justice. Rep. Kinzinger has previously discussed criminal referrals, calling them "more than symbolic" and a "signal that Congress thinks a crime has been committed and the DOJ should investigate it." 

In a somber moment, the 1/6 Committee laid out its referrals to the Department of Justice. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), described each crime the committee believes Donald Trump and others committed. The four counts are as follows: Obstruction of an Official Proceeding (18 U.S.C § 1512(c)); Conspiracy to Defraud the United States (18 U.S.C § 371); Conspiracy to Make a False Statement (18 U.S.C §§ 371,1001); and "Incite," "Assist," or "Aid or Comfort" an insurrection (18 U.S.C § 2383). 

Ex-President Criminally Referred. What Does Each Count Mean? 

The 1/6 Committee’s investigation of the attack on the U.S. Capitol concluded in dramatic fashion on Monday with the decision to criminally refer the former president to the Department of Justice on four statutes. While Congress has the authority to refer anyone for prosecution, they do not hold the power to prosecute. Each count carries a different sentence and is for a different moment in which Trump and his allies attempted to subvert the will of the American people. 

  • Obstruction of an Official Proceeding (18 U.S.C § 1512(c))
    • "...corruptly…obstructs, influences, or impedes any official proceeding, or attempts to do so…"
    • This charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in a federal prison.
    • Rep. Raskin concluded, "The whole purpose and obvious effect of Trump’s scheme were to obstruct, influence, and impede this official proceeding: the central moment for the lawful transfer of power in the United States [the Joint Session of Congress to count the electoral votes].”
  • Conspiracy to Defraud the United States (18 U.S.C § 371)
    • "...conspire either to commit any offense against the United States, or to defraud the United States…"
    • This charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in a federal prison. 
    • Raskin explained, "In other words, to make an agreement to impair, obstruct, or defeat the lawful functions of the United States Government by deceitful or dishonest means."
    • He also said that Trump was not the only person who engaged in this behavior, he worked with others. "He entered into agreements," Raskin pointed out.
  • Conspiracy to Make a False Statement (18 U.S.C §§ 371,1001)
    • "...in any matter within the jurisdiction of the…Government of the United States… makes any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement.."
    • This charge carries a maximum sentence of 5 years in a federal prison. 
    • Raskin said that the evidence shows Trump violated this statute by submitting to the National Archives and to Congress "slates of fake electors."
    • "We believe that this evidence we set forth in our report is more than sufficient for a criminal referral," he concluded. 
  • "Incite," "Assist," or "Aid or Comfort" an Insurrection (18 U.S.C § 2383)
    • "...incites,... assists, or engages in any rebellion or insurrection… or gives aid or comfort thereto…"
    • This charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in a federal prison and prohibits the perpetrator from holding public office in the United States. 
    • "More evidence than needed shows that Donald Trump 'assisted,' 'aided,' and 'gave comfort' to the insurrectionists who attacked the Capitol on January 6th," said Raskin. "The committee has developed significant evidence that President Trump intended to disrupt the peaceful transition of power under our Constitution."

"We understand the gravity of each and every referral we are making today, just as we understand the magnitude of the crime against democracy," Rep. Raskin said in his conclusion. "But we have gone where the facts and the law lead us and, inescapably, they lead us here."

Members of Congress Referred to the House Ethics Committee

The 1/6 Committee also referred members of congress to the House Ethics Committee. Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA), and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) did not comply with the committee’s subpoenas.

While these referrals to the House Ethics Committee are unlikely to move forward (they are sure be blocked by some members of the Ethics Committee), the 1/6 Committee believes it is still necessary to show the American people that Congress is not above the law.

Biggs and Jordan immediately responded to the referrals, calling them a "sham" and a "political stunt," despite, as a matter of fact, neither of them complying with a congressional subpoena. 

Congressman Kinzinger’s Remarks During Final Hearing Focused on the DOJ and Election Fraud Claims

Congressman Adam Kinzinger in his opening remarks summarized the effort by President Trump to corrupt the Justice Department.

"It’s of the utmost importance that our Department of Justice operates a fair and neutral body that enforces our federal laws without fear or favor," Kinzinger explained.  

Although Attorney General Bill Barr had repeatedly told President Trump that there was no evidence of fraud sufficient to overturn the election, Trump continued to spread these false narratives to the public.

After Attorney General Barr resigned, Trump then pressured the new acting Attorney General, Jeffery Rosen, and the acting Deputy Attorney General, Richard Donoghue, to "just say the election was corrupt." 

Trump was again told that there was no evidence to support his claims. As a result, he attempted to install Jeffery Clark as acting Attorney General, who had promised to "take the actions that Barr, Rosen, and Donoghue had refused to take."

Trump reversed course on elevating Clark after White House and DOJ officials threatened to resign en masse.

Country First is proud to release The Weekly Digest with important updates on the 1/6 Committee's investigation of the Capitol attack. If you would like to help contribute content to this newsletter, please e-mail [email protected].

 

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