The US House Committee tasked with shedding light on the attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021, has just released its final report, before disbanding early next year. An awaited document which, in conclusion, details 11 recommendations to prevent another attack on American democracy, led by a president in office frustrated by his electoral defeat, from happening again. Overview.
Ban Donald Trump from representing himself
The elected group evokes section 3 of the 14e amendment to the US Constitution that prohibits a US citizen from holding elected office if he or she has taken part in an insurrection. It therefore calls on Congress to consider “creating a formal mechanism to assess whether to bar” those listed in the report from holding government office in the future. Donald Trump is on the list. The report also notes that the Republican ex-president was impeached by the House for incitement to insurrection following the attack, that 57 senators found him guilty and that, at the beginning of the week, the committee referred the former president to the Justice Department on charges of “inciting, assisting or aiding and supporting an insurrection.”
Make the ceremonial vote count by Congress a special security event
To prevent a group of supporters from storming the Capitol again to prevent the certification of the presidential vote by the congressmen, the committee recommends that this event, which is held on January 6, be considered in the future as a “special national security event”. This would involve pre-planning its security framework and automatically increasing the forces present in Washington that day.
Reforming the Electoral Count Act of 1887
In his coup attempt, Donald Trump and his cronies sought to pressure Vice President Mike Pence into overturning the results of the vote confirming the election of Joe Biden. The group of elected officials calls on the American legislature to reform the law governing this count to clarify the role of the vice-president and his only symbolic function in the circumstances. To avoid any ambiguity in the future.
Assess the risk posed by the Insurrection Act
The final report points out that members of the Oath Keepers, starting with the far-right militia’s founder, Stewart Rhodes, called on Donald Trump to invoke the US Insurrection Act to overturn the 2020 ballot. so Congress “to assess all the evidence [établies par la commission d’enquête] and take into account the risks posed [par cette loi] for future elections. He also says he is “troubled” by the presence of this law in the stratagem put in place by the populist to steal the elections.
Penalize more severely obstacles to the transfer of power
The attack on Capitol Hill sought to block the symbolic and peaceful transfer of power enshrined in the January 6 ceremony, the parliamentarians wrote in their final report. The committee therefore recommends that Congress expand existing federal criminal statutes that criminalize obstruction of official process to specifically include the attempted overthrow of the “January 6 electoral college vote count.”
Empower the public and legal body of the country
Several lawyers close to Donald Trump took part in the populist-led coup attempt. These activities, detailed in the final report, should be scrutinized closely by the Ministry of Justice to “ensure the criminal or civil liability of any person who has committed the misdeeds described” in the document, the Commission believes. This committee also urges the courts and bar associations in every state to remove any member of the legal profession who participates in efforts to undermine democratic institutions and calls on the Department of Justice to also adopt guidelines to ensure that its employees avoid to take part in election-related “campaign activities”.
Strengthen the power of Congress in its subpoenas
The committee recommends that Congress grant itself greater powers to enforce in federal courts its own subpoenas to appear during commissions of inquiry. The group lamented that key figures in the Jan. 6 attack, including Mark Meadows, Trump’s former chief of staff, and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, refused to testify. They were guilty thus in affront to Congress without however being worried by justice.
Examine the responsibility of certain media
The group of elected officials calls on Congress to examine “media companies that have had the effect of radicalizing their consumers, including by inciting people to attack their own country,” he writes. The Board of Inquiry found that the January 6 violence was supported in part by amplifying Donald Trump’s Big Lie about stealing the election. She evokes “incendiary rhetoric” aimed at exciting the crowds on the elections, carried by commentators in traditional media and social networks. Among others.
Countering Violent Extremism
After documenting the participation of violent extremists in the attack on the Capitol, the January 6 committee suggests that the federal government and its intelligence agencies, including the secret services, adopt “wide-of-government strategies” to better cope to the threat posed by “all extremist groups”. The commission of inquiry also recommends a better sharing of information between all components of the government on these groups.
Better protect poll workers
Threats and attempts to intimidate officials serving in electoral bodies by those close to Donald Trump and by the populist in person, should force Congress to consider “tougher sanctions” against this kind of practice, the group says. The commission also recommends better protection of the identity of these employees to prevent them from being exposed to bullies or elected officials seeking to falsify the results of the ballot.
Better supervise and finance the Capitol police
At the heart of the tragedy, the Capitol police, quickly overwhelmed by the insurrection, should be better prepared in the future to deal with the outbursts of a crowd, can we read in the final report. With this in mind, Congress is invited to improve the planning, training, equipment and access to intelligence of this police force.