US Capitol riot panel set to vote on criminal charges against Trump

The panel investigating the historic US Capitol riot will be voting on whether criminal charges should be pressed against former US president Donald Trump at their final public meeting to be held on Monday.

The final decision taken after voting will end the House of Representatives select committee’s 18-month investigation in which more than 1,000 witnesses were interviewed and explosive public hearings were held on the assault carried out at the US Capitol riot on January 6, 2021.

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Around five people had lost their lives after a mob, influenced by Trump's false claims of a rigged election and asked to storm into the Congress by the lost president, ransacked the US Capitol in a failed bid to stop President Joe Biden from taking up the power.

It is expected that the Justice Department will be urged by the committee to carry on Trump’s trial on at least three charges of violence which are obstructing an official work, conspiring to defraud the country and fuelling an insurrection.

The referrals made will be symbolic as the Justice Department holds control over charging decisions. Independent special prosecutor Jack Smith, who has been appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland, is carrying out his own investigation into the 2020 election and the role played by Trump in the Capitol riot.

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However, the move of lawmakers would be historic as no criminal referral has ever been made by Congress against a former or current president. The decision would be a major blow to Trump in the wake of his recent announcement of making a presidential bid to come back to the White House.

Democratic committee member Adam Schiff said, "I think that the evidence is there that Donald Trump committed criminal offenses in connection with his efforts to overturn the election.”

(With inputs from agencies)