By Aaron Miller-
The congressional panel investigating the deadly attack on the US Capitol has voted to subpoena Donald Trump, and force him to testify in the case above the insurrection in Capitol Hill on January 6.
The panel voted unanimously to compel the former president will now be compelled to give evidence to the committee about the events of 6 January 2021 which saw five people killed and hundreds, including many law enforcement officers, injured.The committee said he is “required to answer for his actions”.
The panel has so far explicitly established that Mr Trump was directly involved in the bid to overturn the 2020 US election result after inciting his supporters on the day to storm the seat of US power in Washington DC.
“We must seek the testimony under oath of January 6th’s central player,” said Representative Liz Cheney, the committee’s vice chair.
Ms Cheney added: “We are obligated to seek answers directly from the man who set this all in motion. And every American is entitled to those answers.
The panel has enough leverage to make a criminal referral to the Justice Department, but cannot bring criminal charges against the former U.S president. The news is the latest development in a series of legal woes facing Donald Trump who continuously expressed resistance against the wave of attacks in his direction.
Betrayal Of Oath
The vote came as extraordinary new footage emerged of both Republican and Democrat lawmakers huddled in a secure location in the Capitol building as the riot unfolded around them.
“We have to get to finish the proceedings.”
She is then left stunned when an aide replies: “Apparently everybody on the floor is putting on their tear gas masks to prepare for a breach.”
On the morning of 6 January, thousands of his supporters – motivated by an incendiary speech Trump gave near the White House riddled with far fetched claims of voter fraud, ignited his army of supporters to fearlessly and dangerously storm congress while they were certifying the victory of Joe Biden.
Trump had told his supporters to stop the steal or they will not have a country anymore.
The beleaguered former president also told them that deputy vice president Mike Pence did not have the courage to do the right thing, that is to illegally overturn the election results. The violent insurrection terrified congressmen and sparked bloodshed. outside the congress. At least four people died in the mayhem.
As the multitude forced their way into the congress building, smashing windows on their way in, some haunted for Nancy Pelosi, shouting ”Nancy Pelosi, where are you”? It was a frightening moment for congressmen and women who had to be ushered out to safety.
The order for Trump to testify in the proceedings has been long overdue, and could be a defining moment of the hearing.
In a defiant statement to the subpoena, Trump hit out at the decision, saying: “Why didn’t the Unselect Committee ask me to testify months ago?
“Why did they wait until the very end, the final moments of their last meeting?
“Because the Committee is a total ‘BUST’ that has only served to further divide our country, which, by the way, is doing very badly – A laughing stock all over the world?”
Trump is expected to fight the subpoena and decline the order to testify.
The vote seeking the former president’s testimony follows vivid new details and evidence of Trump’s state of mind, as he refused to concede his loss to Joe Biden, resulting in the 2021 attack at the Capitol.
The panel had spent much of the session, laying out how Trump refused to concede defeat to Joe Biden after the 2020 elections, despite persuasions from his top advisers.
Trump is also subjected to other litigations which will altogether put him under enormous strain and perhaps defiance too. The curtains may finally be closing in on the former president of the United states.