Trump Must Appear Before Capitol Storming Commission of Inquiry Storming Capitol

“He must be held accountable for his actions,” Mississippi Democrat Bennie Thompson, chairman of the committee, said at the conclusion of what may have been the panel’s final public session. “He must answer to those police officers who risk their lives and bodies to defend our democracy.”

Before the vote, the committee had presented a summary of its arguments against Trump, including details about his state of mind on Jan. 6 and more broadly about his pivotal role in the effort to reverse the 2020 election results. The committee showed new videos from the day showing leaders in Congress, including Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Leader Chuck Schumer, having been evacuated from the Capitol. In a video, Schumer asks Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen in disbelief, “Why don’t you have the president tell them to get out of the Capitol?”

The panel also showed how Trump repeatedly tried to join the crowd in the Capitol, even after his supporters turned violent and attacked the police. A national security official, whose identity the commission kept anonymous, told investigators: “The president wanted to lead tens of thousands of people to the Capitol. I think that was reason enough for us to be alarmed.”

Incidentally, it is unlikely that the committee will have a chance to question Trump, observers say. He will almost certainly ignore a subpoena. And attempts to enforce one would almost certainly lead to a lengthy legal battle. In an initial response to the subpoena, Trump called the Commission of Inquiry “a total FIASCO that only serves to further divide our country.”

Failure to comply with a subpoena from Congress to testify or hand over documents is a felony, punishable by one to 12 months in prison. If a subpoena is ignored, the full House must vote on whether or not to refer it to the Justice Department, which then decides whether to charge.

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