December, 19 2022, 03:36pm EDT
January 6th Committee Laid Bare a Coup Attempt & Deserves the Nation's Thanks
Statement of Aaron Scherb, Common Cause Senior Director of Legislative Affairs
WASHINGTON
No American is above the law. That includes former Presidents and their advisors. Donald Trump and those who aided and abetted his attempted coup remain a clear and present danger to our democracy.
The members of the nonpartisan January 6th Select Committee deserve the nation's thanks for investigating and publicly exposing the months-long plot waged by Trump and his associates, that appears to have amounted to a criminal conspiracy to overturn the will of the people and subvert the results of the 2020 election so that he could remain in power.
The Committee showed that Trump was fully aware that he had lost a free and fair election when he knowingly and willfully incited an armed mob of insurrectionists to attack the Capitol and prevent the peaceful transfer of power. And then for hours--with the lives of his Vice President, Members of Congress, staff, and law enforcement in danger--he refused to call off the mob he had unleashed.
Our democracy will not be safe if those responsible are not held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.
Trump has already declared his candidacy for a 2024 White House run, even as he called for the "termination of all rules and regulations... even those found in the Constitution" in order to overturn the 2020 election and declare himself President. He falsely repeats his Big Lie that the election was somehow stolen despite the fact that his own appointees at the Department of Homeland Security declared that the 2020 election was "the most secure in U.S. history."
Donald Trump continues to be a danger to our democracy. His congressional enablers continue to keep their blinders on, at the expense of the Constitution. To current House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and certain House Republicans who will take over key leadership and committee positions in the 118th Congress: It is beyond past time for you to stand up for the Constitution and the rule of law. If not now, when?
To view this statement online, click here.
Common Cause is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization dedicated to upholding the core values of American democracy. We work to create open, honest, and accountable government that serves the public interest; promote equal rights, opportunity, and representation for all; and empower all people to make their voices heard in the political process.
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