January 6 findings: Donald Trump criminally engaged in ‘multi-level conspiracy’ to overturn election results

The final report was released after the committee announced that it recommended the former president should be criminally charged for his role in 2021 January 6 riots
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The US congressional committee investigating the January 6 riots has released its final report - with a damning conclusion that Donald Trump was criminally engaged in a “multi-part conspiracy” to overturn the results of the 2020 election. It comes after the committee recommended earlier this week that the former president should face criminal charges for his role in the storming of the Capitol.

The final report also concluded that Trump failed to stop his followers from attacking the Capitol on 6 January 2021. The conclusions come after an 18-month investigation by the congressional committee.

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The riots saw shocking images of Trump supporter storming the historic building in Washington D.C as they attempted to delay the counting of electoral college votes for the 2020 election, in which Joe Biden prevailed over Trump. After results of Biden’s win became clear, Trump continued to perpetuate the conspiracy that the election had been “stolen”, with many of those storming the Capitol chanting “stop the steal” as they rioted.

The violent clashes led to the death of five people and at least 138 police officers were injured in the incident. Representatives inside the building, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi were forced to barricade themselves inside rooms to protect themselves from protesters.

What did the committee conclude?

A 814-page final report was released by the January 6 committee on Thursday 22 December. It came after the group conducted more than 1,000 interviews and reviewed millions of documents - Trump himself had been subpoenaed by the group but refused to cooperate or provide documents

It concluded that the insurrection threaten American democracy. The panel also said that it “put the lives of American lawmakers at risk”.

The January 6 Committee has concluded that Donald Trump engaged in a “conspiracy” to overturn the results of the 2020 election. (Credit: Getty Images)The January 6 Committee has concluded that Donald Trump engaged in a “conspiracy” to overturn the results of the 2020 election. (Credit: Getty Images)
The January 6 Committee has concluded that Donald Trump engaged in a “conspiracy” to overturn the results of the 2020 election. (Credit: Getty Images)
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In the report’s foreword, Pelosi said that the findings should be a “clarion call to all Americans: to vigilantly guard our Democracy and to give our vote only to those dutiful in their defence of our Constitution”.

The report itself spoke of Trump involvement in attempting to overturn the election results. It said: “President Trump or his inner circle engaged in at least 200 apparent acts of public or private outreach, pressure, or condemnation, targeting either State legislators or State or local election administrators, to overturn State election results.”

The committee also concluded that the former president did little to encourage the rioters to stand down.

How did Donald Trump react to the comittee findings?

Trump has responded to the conclusion of the investigation. On his social media site, Truth Social, he questioned the impartiality of the committee, calling the group, which was made up of seven Democratic and two Republican representatives, “highly partisan”.

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He added that the committee disrgarded his statement in which he told his supporters to protest “peacefully and politically”. However, the committee noted that following these words, Trump then told his followers to “fight like hell” for the election results.

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