Donald Trump is facing criticism from Joe Biden's 2024 election campaign for failing to sign a loyalty oath in Illinois, which says that the former president won't advocate overthrowing the government.

Supposedly downplaying his role in the Jan 6 Capitol Hill siege, Donald Trump, on the third anniversary of the riots, demanded that the Biden administration free those prosecuted for storming the government building in 2021.

Speaking at a campaign event in Iowa on Saturday (Jan 6), Trump called those jailed over charges relating to the attack "hostages" and alleged the government had mistreated them.

<h2>Illinois loyalty oath</h2>

In the US state of Illinois, there's a ballot tradition, whereby candidates pledge against advocating the overthrow of the government.

The loyalty oath is a time-honoured part of the election process in the state. However, it was missing from Trump's package of ballot-access paperwork&nbsp;the Republican submitted on Thursday (Jan 4), reports WBEZ/Chicago Sun-Times.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-faces-370mn-in-potential-payments-to-new-york-state-in-real-estate-fraud-case-677080">Trump faces $370 million in penalty demand to New York state in civil fraud case</a>

Condemning Trump, Biden's campaign spokesperson Michael Tyler in a statement on Saturday said: "For the entirety of our nation's history, presidents have put their hand on the Bible and sworn to protect and uphold the Constitution of the United States—and Donald Trump can't bring himself to sign a piece of paper saying he won't attempt a coup to overthrow our government."

"We know he's deadly serious because three years ago today he tried and failed to do exactly that."

As per the Guardian, Trump signed this voluntary oath in his previous presidential runs — 2016 and 2020.

"This is the same man who thinks American troops who died protecting the ideals outlined in the Constitution are suckers and losers – yet calls the convicted felons who violently assaulted and killed police officers on January 6th 'hostages'. He can't fathom putting anything – our country, our principles, or the wellbeing and safety of the American people – above his own quest for retribution and power," remarked Tyler.

Responding to Tyler's statement, Trump's spokesperson Steven Cheung said: "President Trump will once again take the oath of office on January 20th, 2025, and will swear 'to faithfully execute the office of President of the United States and will to the best of my ability preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.'"

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-supreme-court-to-rule-if-trump-can-run-for-president-in-2024-677031">US Supreme Court to rule if Trump can run for president in 2024</a>

Incumbent Joe Biden and another major Republican candidate, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, have both signed the loyalty oath.

<h2>'Hostage' rioters</h2>

Calling those jailed in the wake of the Jan 6 attack on Capitol Hill 'hostages', Trump during a campaign event in Clinton, Iowa, argued that they should be freed.

"They've suffered enough," he said, adding, "I call them hostages. Some people call them prisoners."

"I got indicted because I challenged the crooked election," said the ex-president, who continues to claim that his 2020 election loss to Biden was the result of "fraud".

(With inputs from agencies)

Donald Trump is facing criticism from Joe Biden's 2024 election campaign for failing to sign a loyalty oath in Illinois, which says that the former president won't advocate overthrowing the government.

Donald Trump is facing criticism from Joe Biden's 2024 election campaign for failing to sign a loyalty oath in Illinois, which says that the former president won't advocate overthrowing the government. Supposedly downplaying his role in the Jan 6 Capitol Hill siege, Donald Trump, on the third anniversary of the riots, demanded that the Biden administration free those prosecuted for storming the government building in 2021. Speaking at a campaign event in Iowa on Saturday (Jan 6), Trump called those jailed over charges relating to the attack "hostages" and alleged the government had mistreated them. Illinois loyalty oath In the US state of Illinois, there's a ballot tradition, whereby candidates pledge against advocating the overthrow of the government. The loyalty oath is a time-honoured part of the election process in the state. However, it was missing from Trump's package of ballot-access paperwork the Republican submitted on Thursday (Jan 4), reports WBEZ/Chicago Sun-Times. Also read | Trump faces $370 million in penalty demand to New York state in civil fraud case Condemning Trump, Biden's campaign spokesperson Michael Tyler in a statement on Saturday said: "For the entirety of our nation's history, presidents have put their hand on the Bible and sworn to protect and uphold the Constitution of the United States—and Donald Trump can't bring himself to sign a piece of paper saying he won't attempt a coup to overthrow our government." "We know he's deadly serious because three years ago today he tried and failed to do exactly that." As per the Guardian, Trump signed this voluntary oath in his previous presidential runs — 2016 and 2020. "This is the same man who thinks American troops who died protecting the ideals outlined in the Constitution are suckers and losers – yet calls the convicted felons who violently assaulted and killed police officers on January 6th 'hostages'. He can't fathom putting anything – our country, our principles, or the wellbeing and safety of the American people – above his own quest for retribution and power," remarked Tyler. Responding to Tyler's statement, Trump's spokesperson Steven Cheung said: "President Trump will once again take the oath of office on January 20th, 2025, and will swear 'to faithfully execute the office of President of the United States and will to the best of my ability preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.'" Also read | US Supreme Court to rule if Trump can run for president in 2024 Incumbent Joe Biden and another major Republican candidate, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, have both signed the loyalty oath. 'Hostage' rioters Calling those jailed in the wake of the Jan 6 attack on Capitol Hill 'hostages', Trump during a campaign event in Clinton, Iowa, argued that they should be freed. "They've suffered enough," he said, adding, "I call them hostages. Some people call them prisoners." "I got indicted because I challenged the crooked election," said the ex-president, who continues to claim that his 2020 election loss to Biden was the result of "fraud". (With inputs from agencies)

Trump calls Jan 6 rioters 'hostages,' skips signing Illinois loyalty oath promising to not overthrow govt

Alan Hostetter, a retired US police chief, has been sentenced to more than 11 years in prison over his participation in the notorious January 6, 2021 assault on US Capitol Hill.&nbsp;

On Thursday, a Washington court passed the sentence based on his July conviction on charges, including conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding and entering a restricted building with a deadly or dangerous weapon.

<h2>Unwavering support</h2>

An unwavering Donald Trump supporter, Hostetter chose to represent himself at the trial. All through it, he never wavered from his belief that President Joe Biden had stolen the election from Trump.

The 135 months, or a little more than 11 years' sentence awarded to him, was only slightly less than the 12.5 years requested by prosecutors.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-appears-in-new-york-court-calls-fraud-trial-witch-hunt-and-corrupt-667390">Donald Trump appears in New York court, calls fraud trial 'witch hunt and corrupt'</a>

As per a KTLA report citing the United States Department of Justice, on January 6, 2021, the 59-year-old ex-policeman brought tactical gear, pepper spray and hatchets to the government building.

He was retired from law enforcement and, at the time of the attack on Capitol Hill, he worked as a yoga instructor.&nbsp;

Leading up to the riot at Capitol Hill, Hostetter gave several inflammatory speeches in which he echoed Trump's claims and said that the election was fraudulent. He also called for the execution of Trump's political rivals.&nbsp;

<h2>What happened on Jan 6?</h2>

On January 6, 2021, hundreds of Trump supporters attacked the Capitol building, home to the US Congress. The riot attempted to try to disrupt the official certification of Joe Biden's victory over Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election.&nbsp;

The action was sparked by a fiery speech from Trump himself. However, the 2024 US presidential election&nbsp;hopeful has not directly been implicated in the event.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-presidents-son-hunter-biden-faces-new-criminal-charges-in-federal-tax-case-667398">US President's son Hunter Biden faces new criminal charges in federal tax case</a>

To date, more than 1,230 of the hundreds that rallied at Capital Hill have been charged for their crimes related to the riot, said the Justice Department. More than 720 have been convicted, and of these, more than 450 will serve prison time.

In December 2022, a congressional commission investigating the January 6 riot recommended criminal charges against Trump. The charges suggested include aiding an insurrection and conspiracy to defraud the United States.

Donald Trump, who has already been indicted for racketeering in Georgia, is set to go on trial in Washington in March. He faces the charges of conspiring to overturn the results of the November 2020 election won by contender Biden.

(With inputs from agencies)

Alan Hostetter, a retired US police chief, has been sentenced to more than 11 years in prison over his participation in the notorious January 6, 2021 assault on US Capitol Hill.

Alan Hostetter, a retired US police chief, has been sentenced to more than 11 years in prison over his participation in the notorious January 6, 2021 assault on US Capitol Hill. On Thursday, a Washington court passed the sentence based on his July conviction on charges, including conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding and entering a restricted building with a deadly or dangerous weapon. Unwavering support An unwavering Donald Trump supporter, Hostetter chose to represent himself at the trial. All through it, he never wavered from his belief that President Joe Biden had stolen the election from Trump. The 135 months, or a little more than 11 years' sentence awarded to him, was only slightly less than the 12.5 years requested by prosecutors. Also read | Donald Trump appears in New York court, calls fraud trial 'witch hunt and corrupt' As per a KTLA report citing the United States Department of Justice, on January 6, 2021, the 59-year-old ex-policeman brought tactical gear, pepper spray and hatchets to the government building. He was retired from law enforcement and, at the time of the attack on Capitol Hill, he worked as a yoga instructor. Leading up to the riot at Capitol Hill, Hostetter gave several inflammatory speeches in which he echoed Trump's claims and said that the election was fraudulent. He also called for the execution of Trump's political rivals. What happened on Jan 6? On January 6, 2021, hundreds of Trump supporters attacked the Capitol building, home to the US Congress. The riot attempted to try to disrupt the official certification of Joe Biden's victory over Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election. The action was sparked by a fiery speech from Trump himself. However, the 2024 US presidential election hopeful has not directly been implicated in the event. Also read | US President's son Hunter Biden faces new criminal charges in federal tax case To date, more than 1,230 of the hundreds that rallied at Capital Hill have been charged for their crimes related to the riot, said the Justice Department. More than 720 have been convicted, and of these, more than 450 will serve prison time. In December 2022, a congressional commission investigating the January 6 riot recommended criminal charges against Trump. The charges suggested include aiding an insurrection and conspiracy to defraud the United States. Donald Trump, who has already been indicted for racketeering in Georgia, is set to go on trial in Washington in March. He faces the charges of conspiring to overturn the results of the November 2020 election won by contender Biden. (With inputs from agencies)

US: Trump supporter ex-police chief sentenced to over 11 years in jail for role in Jan 6 riots

A man involved in the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the US Capitol has been sentenced to 12.5 years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple felonies, including using a stun gun on a police officer. Daniel Rodriguez, described by prosecutors as "one of the most violent defendants" among those charged in relation to the January 6 riots, had, as per The Hill, organised the attack with fellow rioters on the messaging app Telegram.

Rodriguez had made alarming statements in a group chat on Telegram, declaring, "There will be blood. Welcome to the revolution," just hours before the riot unfolded.&nbsp;

<h2>What Rodriguez did during the riots</h2>

During the attack on the Capitol, Rodriguez reportedly used a stun gun on Officer Michael Fanone, who has since left the police department and become a CNN contributor. Officer Fanone has been vocal about the insurrection, detailing the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and emotional trauma he experienced as a result. He suffered a minor heart attack and a traumatic brain injury during the riot.

<h2>Rodriguez's victim speaks up</h2>

In court on Wednesday, Officer Fanone said: "I don’t give a shit about Daniel Rodriguez. He ceased to exist to me as a person a long time ago."

He also expressed the erosion of any compassion or empathy he might have had for those who participated in the siege.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/stewart-rhodes-oath-keepers-founder-sentenced-to-18-years-for-seditious-conspiracy-596551">US Capitol attack: Oath Keepers founder sentenced to 18 years for seditious conspiracy</a>

"Any compassion or empathy I felt toward those who laid siege to our Capitol, whose actions I felt were at least in part influenced by their leader Donald Trump and his lies, has been eroded — eroded by the attacks directed at me and my family by supporters of Donald Trump and the right-wing media," he added as quoted by The Hill.

<h2>A confession</h2>

Reportedly, Rodriguez admitted to using a stun gun on an officer in the same Telegram chat later on January 6.&nbsp;

Prior to his sentencing, he said he was "truly" expecting a civil war and also voiced support for extremist militias such as the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers.

In February, Rodriguez pleaded guilty to conspiracy, obstruction of an official proceeding, obstruction of justice, and assaulting a law enforcement officer with a dangerous weapon. Prosecutors initially sought a 14-year sentence, but Rodriguez received a 12.5-year term, which is still one of the lengthiest sentences given to a defendant involved in the January 6 insurrection.

<h2>Blame it on Trump</h2>

During the defence's argument, the man's lawyer blamed the insurrection on former US President Donald Trump, claiming that his rhetoric had inspired Rodriguez to participate in the riot.&nbsp;

They stated that Rodriguez idolized Trump and saw him as a father figure due to growing up without a father himself.

"He saw the former president as the father he wished he had," they wrote in a memo.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/capitol-rioter-joshua-black-sentenced-to-two-years-in-prison-593239">USA: Capitol Hill rioter Joshua Black, who was shot in face, sentenced to two years in prison</a>

It goes on to say that "He (Rodriguez) believed Trump was someone to be admired: a multimillionaire who graduated from Wharton Business School, with his name massively displayed in gold on buildings across the United States."

The perpetrator himself claims that he believed Trump's false claims about the 2020 election being stolen and was radicalised by far-right extremist platforms like InfoWars and personalities like Steven Crowder.

Rodriguez was initially identified by online investigators, who meticulously reviewed hundreds of hours of publicly available video footage from the riots. He was arrested in March 2021. His sentencing follows other notable sentences for individuals involved in the January 6 attack. Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes was recently sentenced to 18 years in prison, while another perpetrator who assaulted officers with pepper spray and a chair received a 14-year prison term.

(With inputs from agencies) 
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A man involved in the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the US Capitol has been sentenced to 12.5 years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple felonies, including using a stun gun on a police officer.

A man involved in the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the US Capitol has been sentenced to 12.5 years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple felonies, including using a stun gun on a police officer. Daniel Rodriguez, described by prosecutors as "one of the most violent defendants" among those charged in relation to the January 6 riots, had, as per The Hill, organised the attack with fellow rioters on the messaging app Telegram. Rodriguez had made alarming statements in a group chat on Telegram, declaring, "There will be blood. Welcome to the revolution," just hours before the riot unfolded. What Rodriguez did during the riots During the attack on the Capitol, Rodriguez reportedly used a stun gun on Officer Michael Fanone, who has since left the police department and become a CNN contributor. Officer Fanone has been vocal about the insurrection, detailing the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and emotional trauma he experienced as a result. He suffered a minor heart attack and a traumatic brain injury during the riot. Rodriguez's victim speaks up In court on Wednesday, Officer Fanone said: "I don’t give a shit about Daniel Rodriguez. He ceased to exist to me as a person a long time ago." He also expressed the erosion of any compassion or empathy he might have had for those who participated in the siege. Also read | US Capitol attack: Oath Keepers founder sentenced to 18 years for seditious conspiracy "Any compassion or empathy I felt toward those who laid siege to our Capitol, whose actions I felt were at least in part influenced by their leader Donald Trump and his lies, has been eroded — eroded by the attacks directed at me and my family by supporters of Donald Trump and the right-wing media," he added as quoted by The Hill. A confession Reportedly, Rodriguez admitted to using a stun gun on an officer in the same Telegram chat later on January 6. Prior to his sentencing, he said he was "truly" expecting a civil war and also voiced support for extremist militias such as the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers. In February, Rodriguez pleaded guilty to conspiracy, obstruction of an official proceeding, obstruction of justice, and assaulting a law enforcement officer with a dangerous weapon. Prosecutors initially sought a 14-year sentence, but Rodriguez received a 12.5-year term, which is still one of the lengthiest sentences given to a defendant involved in the January 6 insurrection. Blame it on Trump During the defence's argument, the man's lawyer blamed the insurrection on former US President Donald Trump, claiming that his rhetoric had inspired Rodriguez to participate in the riot. They stated that Rodriguez idolized Trump and saw him as a father figure due to growing up without a father himself. "He saw the former president as the father he wished he had," they wrote in a memo. Also read | USA: Capitol Hill rioter Joshua Black, who was shot in face, sentenced to two years in prison It goes on to say that "He (Rodriguez) believed Trump was someone to be admired: a multimillionaire who graduated from Wharton Business School, with his name massively displayed in gold on buildings across the United States." The perpetrator himself claims that he believed Trump's false claims about the 2020 election being stolen and was radicalised by far-right extremist platforms like InfoWars and personalities like Steven Crowder. Rodriguez was initially identified by online investigators, who meticulously reviewed hundreds of hours of publicly available video footage from the riots. He was arrested in March 2021. His sentencing follows other notable sentences for individuals involved in the January 6 attack. Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes was recently sentenced to 18 years in prison, while another perpetrator who assaulted officers with pepper spray and a chair received a 14-year prison term. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Man involved in Capitol Hill riots sentenced to 12.5 years for using taser on police officer

After a mob of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol last year, many Democrats and Republicans alike denounced the riot using terms like “terrorism.” But many Republicans later backed away from such condemnations as they sought to realign themselves with former President Donald Trump.

The highest-profile example yet came Thursday, when Fox News host Tucker Carlson accused Sen. Ted Cruz of purposefully lying because he had continued to call the events of Jan. 6 a terrorist attack, including at a Senate hearing this week.

Cruz, R-Texas, apologised, calling his phrasing “frankly dumb” and saying that he was referring only to those rioters who assaulted police. Carlson, who has insinuated that Jan. 6 may have been a plot to justify a “purge” of Trump-supporting “patriots,” rejected Cruz’s explanation, citing his consistent use of that term over the past year to describe the Capitol attack.

Here is a closer look at the charged debate over the use of the word.

What is terrorism?

Essentially, it is politically motivated violence.

Denouncing Cruz, Carlson declared that “by no definition” was Jan. 6 “a terror attack.” But Congress has enacted a statute that defines domestic terrorism as criminal offences that are dangerous to human life, lack a foreign nexus and appear to be seeking “to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion.”

According to that definition, some of the events of Jan. 6 “were acts of domestic terrorism, and that’s accurate regardless of whether it applies to each individual,” said Mary McCord, who was a senior Justice Department national security official in the Obama administration and into the early Trump era.

She added, “We are talking about acts that were dangerous to human life and that were in violation of criminal laws, and they were certainly done to influence government policy because they were trying to prevent the counting of Electoral College votes.”

Did all the Jan. 6 rioters commit life-endangering crimes?

No more than 700 people have been charged to date in connection with the Capitol attack, and they are accused of a spectrum of crimes. Just as only some have been charged with conspiracy and obstruction of an official proceeding, only some have been charged with violent offences like assaulting police officers and destroying government property. Others have been charged only with nonviolent crimes, such as illegally entering a restricted building.

Cruz told Carlson that at the Senate hearing this week, he was not saying that “the thousands of peaceful protesters supporting Donald Trump are somehow terrorists.” Rather, he contended, he was merely using that term for people who attacked police officers — an explanation that Carlson, who agreed that such people should go to prison but maintained that they were not terrorists either, rejected.

On many occasions, Cruz has broadly called the assault on the Capitol an “act of terrorism” without specifically limiting his words to police assailants. In an interview a day after the riot, for example, he described the “terrorist attack” as “a traumatic experience for everyone in the building and everyone across the country,” and he referred to a rioter who “broke into the Senate chamber” and “did damage” as a “terrorist.”

Has anyone been charged ‘with terrorism’ over Jan. 6?

No. Carlson asked Cruz, “How many people have been charged with terrorism on Jan. 6?” The answer is zero — but that fact is deeply misleading.

Congress — despite establishing a legal definition for “domestic terrorism” — has not created any stand-alone federal crime called that. As a result, it is not possible for prosecutors to charge any of the Jan. 6 rioters “with terrorism” regardless of whether they committed terrorist acts.

Might some defendants nevertheless face longer sentences for terrorism-related offences?

Yes. Dozens of defendants are facing charges that will give prosecutors the opportunity to ask for longer sentences by invoking the context of domestic terrorism. It is not yet clear how harsh prosecutors and judges will be when it comes time to sentence uncooperative defendants who insist on going to trial and then get convicted, rather than striking plea deals.

In one statute, for example, Congress deemed about four dozen offences as eligible to count as a “federal crime of terrorism” if the acts were “calculated to influence or affect the conduct of government by intimidation or coercion, or to retaliate against government conduct.” Under sentencing guidelines, such a conviction can result in a much longer prison term.

The list includes the destruction of government property, a charge that 44 defendants are facing so far, according to the Justice Department’s tally of the Jan. 6 cases. The list also includes a “weapon of mass destruction” charge that may be brought if the FBI finds whoever put pipe bombs outside the Capitol Hill headquarters of both major political parties the night before the riot.

In addition, two defendants so far have been charged with making false statements. Under a separate law, prosecutors can ask for a sentence of up to eight years, rather than the normal five, if such lies involve domestic terrorism.

Why is the terrorism label subject to dispute?

Because nobody likes terrorists. And as a matter of ordinary speech as opposed to legal definitions, drawing the line between “terrorism” and less pejorative terms for politically motivated violence can be notoriously subjective.

“Why did you use that word?” Carlson asked Cruz.

He accused the senator of playing into a characterization by “the other side” seeking to smear the “entire population” of Trump supporters as “foreign combatants,” likening it to labels like “insurrection” and “coup.”

Notably, during the nationwide protests after the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in 2020, Carlson called on the Justice Department to charge “every single person caught on camera torching a building, destroying a monument, defacing a church” with terrorism.

“Call them what they actually are — domestic terrorists,” he said, adding: “That would be their new government-approved title. Once they’re charged, it’s official. In fact, they are literally, as a factual matter, accused terrorists. And that would change minds right away.”

After a mob of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol last year, many Democrats and Republicans alike denounced the riot using terms like “terrorism.” But many Republicans later backed away from such condemnations as they sought to realign themselves with former President Donald Trump.

After a mob of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol last year, many Democrats and Republicans alike denounced the riot using terms like “terrorism.” But many Republicans later backed away from such condemnations as they sought to realign themselves with former President Donald Trump. The highest-profile example yet came Thursday, when Fox News host Tucker Carlson accused Sen. Ted Cruz of purposefully lying because he had continued to call the events of Jan. 6 a terrorist attack, including at a Senate hearing this week. Cruz, R-Texas, apologised, calling his phrasing “frankly dumb” and saying that he was referring only to those rioters who assaulted police. Carlson, who has insinuated that Jan. 6 may have been a plot to justify a “purge” of Trump-supporting “patriots,” rejected Cruz’s explanation, citing his consistent use of that term over the past year to describe the Capitol attack. Here is a closer look at the charged debate over the use of the word. What is terrorism? Essentially, it is politically motivated violence. Denouncing Cruz, Carlson declared that “by no definition” was Jan. 6 “a terror attack.” But Congress has enacted a statute that defines domestic terrorism as criminal offences that are dangerous to human life, lack a foreign nexus and appear to be seeking “to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion.” According to that definition, some of the events of Jan. 6 “were acts of domestic terrorism, and that’s accurate regardless of whether it applies to each individual,” said Mary McCord, who was a senior Justice Department national security official in the Obama administration and into the early Trump era. She added, “We are talking about acts that were dangerous to human life and that were in violation of criminal laws, and they were certainly done to influence government policy because they were trying to prevent the counting of Electoral College votes.” Did all the Jan. 6 rioters commit life-endangering crimes? No more than 700 people have been charged to date in connection with the Capitol attack, and they are accused of a spectrum of crimes. Just as only some have been charged with conspiracy and obstruction of an official proceeding, only some have been charged with violent offences like assaulting police officers and destroying government property. Others have been charged only with nonviolent crimes, such as illegally entering a restricted building. Cruz told Carlson that at the Senate hearing this week, he was not saying that “the thousands of peaceful protesters supporting Donald Trump are somehow terrorists.” Rather, he contended, he was merely using that term for people who attacked police officers — an explanation that Carlson, who agreed that such people should go to prison but maintained that they were not terrorists either, rejected. On many occasions, Cruz has broadly called the assault on the Capitol an “act of terrorism” without specifically limiting his words to police assailants. In an interview a day after the riot, for example, he described the “terrorist attack” as “a traumatic experience for everyone in the building and everyone across the country,” and he referred to a rioter who “broke into the Senate chamber” and “did damage” as a “terrorist.” Has anyone been charged ‘with terrorism’ over Jan. 6? No. Carlson asked Cruz, “How many people have been charged with terrorism on Jan. 6?” The answer is zero — but that fact is deeply misleading. Congress — despite establishing a legal definition for “domestic terrorism” — has not created any stand-alone federal crime called that. As a result, it is not possible for prosecutors to charge any of the Jan. 6 rioters “with terrorism” regardless of whether they committed terrorist acts. Might some defendants nevertheless face longer sentences for terrorism-related offences? Yes. Dozens of defendants are facing charges that will give prosecutors the opportunity to ask for longer sentences by invoking the context of domestic terrorism. It is not yet clear how harsh prosecutors and judges will be when it comes time to sentence uncooperative defendants who insist on going to trial and then get convicted, rather than striking plea deals. In one statute, for example, Congress deemed about four dozen offences as eligible to count as a “federal crime of terrorism” if the acts were “calculated to influence or affect the conduct of government by intimidation or coercion, or to retaliate against government conduct.” Under sentencing guidelines, such a conviction can result in a much longer prison term. The list includes the destruction of government property, a charge that 44 defendants are facing so far, according to the Justice Department’s tally of the Jan. 6 cases. The list also includes a “weapon of mass destruction” charge that may be brought if the FBI finds whoever put pipe bombs outside the Capitol Hill headquarters of both major political parties the night before the riot. In addition, two defendants so far have been charged with making false statements. Under a separate law, prosecutors can ask for a sentence of up to eight years, rather than the normal five, if such lies involve domestic terrorism. Why is the terrorism label subject to dispute? Because nobody likes terrorists. And as a matter of ordinary speech as opposed to legal definitions, drawing the line between “terrorism” and less pejorative terms for politically motivated violence can be notoriously subjective. “Why did you use that word?” Carlson asked Cruz. He accused the senator of playing into a characterization by “the other side” seeking to smear the “entire population” of Trump supporters as “foreign combatants,” likening it to labels like “insurrection” and “coup.” Notably, during the nationwide protests after the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in 2020, Carlson called on the Justice Department to charge “every single person caught on camera torching a building, destroying a monument, defacing a church” with terrorism. “Call them what they actually are — domestic terrorists,” he said, adding: “That would be their new government-approved title. Once they’re charged, it’s official. In fact, they are literally, as a factual matter, accused terrorists. And that would change minds right away.”

Was the January 6 attack on the Capitol an act of ‘terrorism’?

At least five former What House staffers of the Trump administration have spoken with the US Congress committee that is investigating the January 6 riot on the Capital, according to a report by the CNN.

The report claims that all five people spoke voluntarily after lawyers working with the select House committee reached out to them through email or text.&nbsp;

The committee has reportedly contacted a number of former staffers, ranging from those on the junior level to individuals who were more senior.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/capitol-riot-us-house-votes-to-hold-trumps-former-advisor-steve-bannon-in-criminal-contempt-422816">Capitol riot: US House votes to hold Trump’s former advisor Steve Bannon in criminal contempt</a>

While several people voluntarily spoke with the committee, others have declined the committee's request or not responded at all.

“I've got good reason to believe a number of them are horrified and scandalized by what took place on January 6 and they want to do their legal duty and their civic duty by coming forward to explain exactly what happened," Jamie Raskin, a Democratic member of the committee, told CNN.

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trumps-claim-of-executive-privilege-in-the-jan-6-inquiry-explained-422321">&nbsp;Trump’s claim of executive privilege in the Jan. 6. inquiry, explained</a>

According to five former Trump aides, counsel for the committee has emailed or texted them directly to ask whether they are interested in coming in to talk to the congressional investigators, often looking for context on what happened inside the West Wing before the insurrection on January 6.

The latest development comes as former President Donald Trump has sued the National Archives, the custodian of his administration's White House records, to prevent from giving documents to Congress that he believes are privileged.

(With inputs from agencies)

At least five former What House staffers of the Trump administration have spoken with the US Congress committee that is investigating the January 6 riot on the Capital, according to a report by the CNN.

At least five former What House staffers of the Trump administration have spoken with the US Congress committee that is investigating the January 6 riot on the Capital, according to a report by the CNN. The report claims that all five people spoke voluntarily after lawyers working with the select House committee reached out to them through email or text. The committee has reportedly contacted a number of former staffers, ranging from those on the junior level to individuals who were more senior. Also read | Capitol riot: US House votes to hold Trump’s former advisor Steve Bannon in criminal contempt While several people voluntarily spoke with the committee, others have declined the committee's request or not responded at all. “I've got good reason to believe a number of them are horrified and scandalized by what took place on January 6 and they want to do their legal duty and their civic duty by coming forward to explain exactly what happened," Jamie Raskin, a Democratic member of the committee, told CNN. Also read | Trump’s claim of executive privilege in the Jan. 6. inquiry, explained According to five former Trump aides, counsel for the committee has emailed or texted them directly to ask whether they are interested in coming in to talk to the congressional investigators, often looking for context on what happened inside the West Wing before the insurrection on January 6. The latest development comes as former President Donald Trump has sued the National Archives, the custodian of his administration's White House records, to prevent from giving documents to Congress that he believes are privileged. (With inputs from agencies)

At least five former Trump administration staffers talking to Capitol riot probe committee

Fewer than 100 right-wing demonstrators, sharply outnumbered by an overwhelming police presence and even by reporters, gathered at the foot of the Capitol on Saturday to denounce what they called the mistreatment of “political prisoners” who had stormed the building on&nbsp;January&nbsp;6.

The peaceful gathering was the first significant right-wing protest since the Jan. 6 riot, and though even the organizers lamented the sparse turnout, the scene showed how the Capitol assault continues to reverberate eight months later.

Where only movable metal barriers stood between a mob and the Capitol on Jan. 6, layers of newly erected fence and dump trucks lined end to end guarded the building.

Mounted police, absent eight months ago, now stood at the ready. Riot shields were stacked at Capitol entrances, and law enforcement from the capital region, including the Virginia State Police and the police departments for Fairfax County in Virginia and Prince George’s County in Maryland, arrived with armored cars. One hundred National Guard troops from the District of Columbia were also on alert.

The few scuffles on the outskirts of the rally were quickly squelched. The Capitol Police said on Twitter that they had arrested a few people at the event, including a man who had a gun and was charged with unlawful activities.

Rally organizers blamed the poor attendance on the show of force.

“Shame on the people and the system who put fear in the hearts of American citizens not to come out,” Cara Castronuova, a founder of Citizens Against Political Persecution and a self-described celebrity fitness professional, told the crowd.

There had been early indications that the event would be a shadow of the Jan. 6 protest, which was well organized by a variety of groups, featured an array of far-right personalities and included an appearance by President Donald Trump. This time, one of the groups behind the Jan. 6 event, the Proud Boys, had warned people away, and neither Trump nor any sitting members of Congress chose to attend.

The event on Saturday was used as a platform for men who hope to be the next generation of Republican politicians. They included Joe Kent, a former member of the Special Forces who is challenging Rep.

Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Wash., in part because she voted to impeach Trump. Another speaker, Mike Collins, is a small-business owner in Georgia seeking to replace Rep. Jody Hice, a pro-Trump politician who is forgoing reelection to challenge Brad Raffensperger, Georgia’s Republican secretary of state who refused Trump’s entreaties to tamper with the state’s vote count.

“We have political prisoners here,” Collins said. “The facts are clear: We’ve got nonviolent misdemeanor offenders that are currently being held with no bond, no access to lawyers, and sometimes in solitary confinement.”

Kent took up the same theme: “It’s banana republic stuff when political prisoners are arrested and denied due process,” he told the crowd, comparing the treatment of Jan. 6 rioters to what he had seen the U.S. military do in Iraq. He added, “This is a slippery slope and we are on it right now.”

The narrative spun from the podium was largely untrue or exaggerated. About 15% of those arrested so far in connection with the Jan. 6 riot have been denied bail and remain in pretrial custody — much lower than the overall federal pretrial detention rate of 75%. Moreover, all of those being detained on charges related to Jan. 6 are facing serious charges like assault or obstruction of Congress; none have been accused of only misdemeanors.

Far from jailing everyone, in fact, judges have granted bail to numerous defendants accused of violent attacks on the police or of belonging to extremist groups like the Proud Boys or the Oath Keepers militia.

There is also no evidence to back the charges, repeated from the podium Saturday, that authorities have imposed harsh conditions on Jan. 6 defendants because of their political beliefs. There was a recent 23-hour lockdown at the District of Columbia jail, but a jail spokesperson said it was enforced throughout the facility to curb the spread of the coronavirus and not imposed solely on Capitol defendants. It has been lifted, she added.

But Saturday’s rally was not about facts.

“When we take back the House and we take back the Senate in ’22, we are going to lay it out. We are going to have a congressional hearing. We’re going to subpoena witnesses, subpoena evidence and we’ll show there was widespread voter fraud,” Kent said, even as he acknowledged that for half of the country, his charges were part of “the Big Lie.”

The rally was organized by Matt Braynard, a former Trump campaign operative, and his organization, Look Ahead America. Braynard opened the event joking that he hoped “everyone got their wrists measured” for handcuffs, even as he asked the crowd to be respectful of the police.

He condemned far-right activists who had declared the event a “false flag” operation meant to help law enforcement track pro-Trump rioters, and as he spoke, channels on the encrypted messaging app Telegram frequented by such activists continued to accuse him of working on the police’s behalf.

“Nobody should be there,” wrote one person, while someone else called the participants “Craigslist actors.”

Bob Lyons, 70, a former Marine, came to the rally from Buffalo, New York. He said he was not disappointed by the turnout: “If one person showed up, it would mean that one person cared.”

“But if you look at this crowd,” he continued, motioning toward a scene dominated by reporters, not protesters, “there’s a lot of people that care.”

His wife, Ruth Lyons, 67, aired a familiar complaint from conservatives, arguing that the police had done little to stop or arrest racial justice protesters or left-wing agitators who committed violence in Portland, Oregon, and other cities, and that those who had been arrested were not being prosecuted with the same vigour as those involved in Jan. 6.

The government has tried to rebut such claims, arguing in court that there was no comparison between the protests last year prompted by the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the storming of the Capitol.

While prosecutors acknowledged that those arrested during weeks of unrest at the Portland federal courthouse had committed “serious offenses,” they insisted that the rioters in Washington were involved in “a singular and chilling event” that threatened not only the Capitol but also “democracy itself.”

Ruth Lyons was unconvinced by such arguments.

“When you look at Portland and see what Black Lives Matter and other people got away with, the burning and the looting, they just looked the other way,” she said of the authorities.

“It’s un-American. It depends which side you’re on whether you get prosecuted or not,” she added.

Ricky Roy, 60, a T-shirt vendor selling pro-Trump merchandise on Third Street in front of the rally site, said he had been to every Trump event since the election and this was by far his worst day for sales.

“This was the smallest out of all of them,” he said. He said he sold more than $3,000 worth of merchandise Jan. 6. On Saturday, his sales totalled around $200.

Braynard and other organizers planned to hold about 20 additional events in state Capitols or other cities next Saturday, but a few were scheduled to coincide with the gathering in Washington.

In Seattle, a group of about 20 protesters stood in the rain under a white tent erected opposite the federal courthouse. In Charlotte, North Carolina, about a dozen people picketed across the street from the U.S. courthouse.

Philip Adkins, 66, wearing a gray T-shirt saying “We the People” in the same cursive lettering as the Constitution, said prosecutions were being decided on political grounds.

“If you are a Republican conservative Trump supporter, then you might as well hang it up because they are going to come after you hammer and tongs,” he said. “If you are a Democrat, they let you out of jail.”

In one sense, the rally in Washington was a success for the organizers and supporters of the defendants from the Jan 6. attack. When any attendee began speaking out in the crowd, a half dozen reporters swarmed with microphones in hand.

“We have a Bill of Rights and they’re not being adhered to right now,” Craig Stewart, a 26- year-old from Virginia who helped organize the event, said. “There’s a Constitution and a Bill of Rights and what’s happening to these prisoners is ridiculous.”

Asked what the goal of the rally was, Stewart was clear: “Get coverage.”

Fewer than 100 right-wing demonstrators, sharply outnumbered by an overwhelming police presence and even by reporters, gathered at the foot of the Capitol on Saturday to denounce what they called the mistreatment of “political prisoners” who had stormed the building on January 6.

Fewer than 100 right-wing demonstrators, sharply outnumbered by an overwhelming police presence and even by reporters, gathered at the foot of the Capitol on Saturday to denounce what they called the mistreatment of “political prisoners” who had stormed the building on January 6. The peaceful gathering was the first significant right-wing protest since the Jan. 6 riot, and though even the organizers lamented the sparse turnout, the scene showed how the Capitol assault continues to reverberate eight months later. Where only movable metal barriers stood between a mob and the Capitol on Jan. 6, layers of newly erected fence and dump trucks lined end to end guarded the building. Mounted police, absent eight months ago, now stood at the ready. Riot shields were stacked at Capitol entrances, and law enforcement from the capital region, including the Virginia State Police and the police departments for Fairfax County in Virginia and Prince George’s County in Maryland, arrived with armored cars. One hundred National Guard troops from the District of Columbia were also on alert. The few scuffles on the outskirts of the rally were quickly squelched. The Capitol Police said on Twitter that they had arrested a few people at the event, including a man who had a gun and was charged with unlawful activities. Rally organizers blamed the poor attendance on the show of force. “Shame on the people and the system who put fear in the hearts of American citizens not to come out,” Cara Castronuova, a founder of Citizens Against Political Persecution and a self-described celebrity fitness professional, told the crowd. There had been early indications that the event would be a shadow of the Jan. 6 protest, which was well organized by a variety of groups, featured an array of far-right personalities and included an appearance by President Donald Trump. This time, one of the groups behind the Jan. 6 event, the Proud Boys, had warned people away, and neither Trump nor any sitting members of Congress chose to attend. The event on Saturday was used as a platform for men who hope to be the next generation of Republican politicians. They included Joe Kent, a former member of the Special Forces who is challenging Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Wash., in part because she voted to impeach Trump. Another speaker, Mike Collins, is a small-business owner in Georgia seeking to replace Rep. Jody Hice, a pro-Trump politician who is forgoing reelection to challenge Brad Raffensperger, Georgia’s Republican secretary of state who refused Trump’s entreaties to tamper with the state’s vote count. “We have political prisoners here,” Collins said. “The facts are clear: We’ve got nonviolent misdemeanor offenders that are currently being held with no bond, no access to lawyers, and sometimes in solitary confinement.” Kent took up the same theme: “It’s banana republic stuff when political prisoners are arrested and denied due process,” he told the crowd, comparing the treatment of Jan. 6 rioters to what he had seen the U.S. military do in Iraq. He added, “This is a slippery slope and we are on it right now.” The narrative spun from the podium was largely untrue or exaggerated. About 15% of those arrested so far in connection with the Jan. 6 riot have been denied bail and remain in pretrial custody — much lower than the overall federal pretrial detention rate of 75%. Moreover, all of those being detained on charges related to Jan. 6 are facing serious charges like assault or obstruction of Congress; none have been accused of only misdemeanors. Far from jailing everyone, in fact, judges have granted bail to numerous defendants accused of violent attacks on the police or of belonging to extremist groups like the Proud Boys or the Oath Keepers militia. There is also no evidence to back the charges, repeated from the podium Saturday, that authorities have imposed harsh conditions on Jan. 6 defendants because of their political beliefs. There was a recent 23-hour lockdown at the District of Columbia jail, but a jail spokesperson said it was enforced throughout the facility to curb the spread of the coronavirus and not imposed solely on Capitol defendants. It has been lifted, she added. But Saturday’s rally was not about facts. “When we take back the House and we take back the Senate in ’22, we are going to lay it out. We are going to have a congressional hearing. We’re going to subpoena witnesses, subpoena evidence and we’ll show there was widespread voter fraud,” Kent said, even as he acknowledged that for half of the country, his charges were part of “the Big Lie.” The rally was organized by Matt Braynard, a former Trump campaign operative, and his organization, Look Ahead America. Braynard opened the event joking that he hoped “everyone got their wrists measured” for handcuffs, even as he asked the crowd to be respectful of the police. He condemned far-right activists who had declared the event a “false flag” operation meant to help law enforcement track pro-Trump rioters, and as he spoke, channels on the encrypted messaging app Telegram frequented by such activists continued to accuse him of working on the police’s behalf. “Nobody should be there,” wrote one person, while someone else called the participants “Craigslist actors.” Bob Lyons, 70, a former Marine, came to the rally from Buffalo, New York. He said he was not disappointed by the turnout: “If one person showed up, it would mean that one person cared.” “But if you look at this crowd,” he continued, motioning toward a scene dominated by reporters, not protesters, “there’s a lot of people that care.” His wife, Ruth Lyons, 67, aired a familiar complaint from conservatives, arguing that the police had done little to stop or arrest racial justice protesters or left-wing agitators who committed violence in Portland, Oregon, and other cities, and that those who had been arrested were not being prosecuted with the same vigour as those involved in Jan. 6. The government has tried to rebut such claims, arguing in court that there was no comparison between the protests last year prompted by the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the storming of the Capitol. While prosecutors acknowledged that those arrested during weeks of unrest at the Portland federal courthouse had committed “serious offenses,” they insisted that the rioters in Washington were involved in “a singular and chilling event” that threatened not only the Capitol but also “democracy itself.” Ruth Lyons was unconvinced by such arguments. “When you look at Portland and see what Black Lives Matter and other people got away with, the burning and the looting, they just looked the other way,” she said of the authorities. “It’s un-American. It depends which side you’re on whether you get prosecuted or not,” she added. Ricky Roy, 60, a T-shirt vendor selling pro-Trump merchandise on Third Street in front of the rally site, said he had been to every Trump event since the election and this was by far his worst day for sales. “This was the smallest out of all of them,” he said. He said he sold more than $3,000 worth of merchandise Jan. 6. On Saturday, his sales totalled around $200. Braynard and other organizers planned to hold about 20 additional events in state Capitols or other cities next Saturday, but a few were scheduled to coincide with the gathering in Washington. In Seattle, a group of about 20 protesters stood in the rain under a white tent erected opposite the federal courthouse. In Charlotte, North Carolina, about a dozen people picketed across the street from the U.S. courthouse. Philip Adkins, 66, wearing a gray T-shirt saying “We the People” in the same cursive lettering as the Constitution, said prosecutions were being decided on political grounds. “If you are a Republican conservative Trump supporter, then you might as well hang it up because they are going to come after you hammer and tongs,” he said. “If you are a Democrat, they let you out of jail.” In one sense, the rally in Washington was a success for the organizers and supporters of the defendants from the Jan 6. attack. When any attendee began speaking out in the crowd, a half dozen reporters swarmed with microphones in hand. “We have a Bill of Rights and they’re not being adhered to right now,” Craig Stewart, a 26- year-old from Virginia who helped organize the event, said. “There’s a Constitution and a Bill of Rights and what’s happening to these prisoners is ridiculous.” Asked what the goal of the rally was, Stewart was clear: “Get coverage.”

Sparse right-wing protest of January 6 arrests draws huge police response

US House prosecutors wrapped up their impeachment case against Donald <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-impeachment-trial-on-thursday-to-focus-on-toll-of-capitol-riots-362931">Trump</a> on Thursday urging the Senate to convict the former president for&nbsp;inciting the deadly January 6 attack on the US Capitol.

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/day-2-of-trumps-impeachment-senators-witness-never-before-seen-footage-of-capitol-attack-362924/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Prosecutors also appealed barring Trump from ever holding office again. It is Trump's second impeachment trial.

"Senators, the evidence is clear. We showed you statements, videos, affidavits that prove President Trump incited an insurrection and that he alone had the power to stop and the fact that he didn't stop it, the fact that he incited a lawless attack and abdicated his duty to defend us from it, the fact that he actually further inflamed the mob, attacking his vice president while assassins were pursuing him (vice-president Mike Pence) in this capital, more than requires conviction and disqualification," &nbsp;Joe Neguse, Democrat from Colorado, impeachment manager, said.

"We humbly, humbly ask you to convict President Trump for the crime for which he is overwhelmingly guilty of, because if you don't, if we pretend this didn't happen or worse, if we let it go unanswered - who's to say it won't happen again?" Neguse added.

House impeachment managers rested their case after two days of arguments that included hours of graphic video from the assault on the Capitol. Trump supporters were seeking to halt certification of Democrat Joe Biden's November 3 election victory.

Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy had joined Senate Democrats and five Republicans this week in a vote to confirm that the impeachment trial was, in fact, constitutional and should proceed.

Cassidy said he will wait to make a judgment after he hears both sides as he has a number of questions for the Trump defence team after the Democrats' presentation.

"You don't make a decision as a juror until you hear both sides, period, end of story and so that's why if you ask me the questions I wish to have addressed, I would like to have those addressed but I don't make a decision until I've heard the other side," Senator Bill Cassidy said.

US President Joe Biden&nbsp;has said that the devastating presentations by Democratic impeachment managers in the trial may have changed some Republicans' minds who until now were opposed to convicting the former president.

"I, like other Americans, watch the news. I didn't watch any of the hearing live because I was going straight through last night till a little after nine. But I watched some this morning. I think the Senate has a very important job to complete and I think, my guess is, some minds may have been changed, I don't know," President Joe Biden said.

Trump's lawyers will begin their defence on Friday.

US House prosecutors wrapped up their impeachment case against Donald Trump on Thursday urging the Senate to convict the former president for inciting the deadly January 6 attack on the US Capitol.

US House prosecutors wrapped up their impeachment case against Donald Trump on Thursday urging the Senate to convict the former president for inciting the deadly January 6 attack on the US Capitol. Watch: Prosecutors also appealed barring Trump from ever holding office again. It is Trump's second impeachment trial. "Senators, the evidence is clear. We showed you statements, videos, affidavits that prove President Trump incited an insurrection and that he alone had the power to stop and the fact that he didn't stop it, the fact that he incited a lawless attack and abdicated his duty to defend us from it, the fact that he actually further inflamed the mob, attacking his vice president while assassins were pursuing him (vice-president Mike Pence) in this capital, more than requires conviction and disqualification," Joe Neguse, Democrat from Colorado, impeachment manager, said. "We humbly, humbly ask you to convict President Trump for the crime for which he is overwhelmingly guilty of, because if you don't, if we pretend this didn't happen or worse, if we let it go unanswered - who's to say it won't happen again?" Neguse added. House impeachment managers rested their case after two days of arguments that included hours of graphic video from the assault on the Capitol. Trump supporters were seeking to halt certification of Democrat Joe Biden's November 3 election victory. Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy had joined Senate Democrats and five Republicans this week in a vote to confirm that the impeachment trial was, in fact, constitutional and should proceed. Cassidy said he will wait to make a judgment after he hears both sides as he has a number of questions for the Trump defence team after the Democrats' presentation. "You don't make a decision as a juror until you hear both sides, period, end of story and so that's why if you ask me the questions I wish to have addressed, I would like to have those addressed but I don't make a decision until I've heard the other side," Senator Bill Cassidy said. US President Joe Biden has said that the devastating presentations by Democratic impeachment managers in the trial may have changed some Republicans' minds who until now were opposed to convicting the former president. "I, like other Americans, watch the news. I didn't watch any of the hearing live because I was going straight through last night till a little after nine. But I watched some this morning. I think the Senate has a very important job to complete and I think, my guess is, some minds may have been changed, I don't know," President Joe Biden said. Trump's lawyers will begin their defence on Friday.

Convict Trump as he is overwhelmingly guilty: Prosecutors urge US Senate over Capitol attack

The unprecedented attack on the Capitol hill left the entire world stunned. Now, the new visual evidence, that the Democrats presented in the senate shows graphic details about how Trump's supporters sought to block the peaceful transfer of power.

US: In Senate, Democrats show unseen videos of attack on the Capitol hill