1/6 Committee May Refer Trump For Prosecution On Dereliction Of Duty Charge

Bennie Thompson calls on Trump to testify before 1/6 commission

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1/6 Committee Chairman Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS) said that the committee is investigating Trump and could criminally refer him for dereliction of duty.

The Washington Post reported:

He said the president’s delayed response to the Capitol attack could be a factor in deciding whether to make a criminal referral, which is when Congress informs the Justice Department it believes a crime has been committed. It would be up to federal prosecutors to decide whether to pursue a charge.

“That dereliction of duty causes us real concern,” Thompson said. “And one of those concerns is that whether or not it was intentional, and whether or not that lack of attention for that longer period of time, would warrant a referral.”

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The pressure on the Justice Department to prosecute Trump would be enormous. The reason why the committee is digging so deeply into what Trump was doing while the Capitol was under attack is that they are trying to figure out if a crime was committed.

A criminal referral of Trump to the DOJ would turn American politics on its ear. The committee wants to talk to the people who Trump was in contact with because they are trying to determine the motivation behind his inaction.

It would be a gift to democracy if Donald Trump was referred for criminal prosecution.

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association