The US Attorney General has given his clearest indication but that former President Donald Trump may very well be prosecuted for his function in trying to overthrow the results of the 2020 election.
In an interview with NBC News, Merrick Garland spoke extra explicitly than he has ever earlier than in regards to the Justice Department investigation into the 6 January Capitol riot and the occasions surrounding it.
“We pursue justice without fear of favour,” the Attorney General informed Nightly News anchor Lester Holt.
“We intend to hold everyone, anyone, who is criminally responsible for events surrounding January 6th or any attempt to interfere with the lawful transfer of power from one administration to another accountable. That’s what we do. We don’t pay any attention to other issues with respect to that,” Garland stated.
“So if Donald Trump was to become a candidate for president again that would not change your schedule or how you move forward or don’t move forward?” Holt requested, suggesting that the indictment of Donald Trump “would arguably tear the country apart”.
Garland replied: “I say again, that we will hold accountable anyone who was criminally responsible for attempting to interfere with the transfer, legitimate lawful transfer of power from one administration to the next.”
Garland praised the work of the January sixth Committee whose public hearings over the previous few months have shed new mild on the occasions surrounding the storming of the US Capitol.
“It’s an important part of democracy that every American recognises the truth of what happened on January 6th and time surrounding it,” the Attorney General stated.
He revealed that the Justice Department had learnt new data from the hearings.
“Look, the Justice Department has been doing the most wide-ranging investigation in its history. And the committee is doing an enormously wide-ranging investigation as well.
“It is inevitable that there can be issues that they discover earlier than we’ve discovered them. And it is inevitable that there can be issues we discover that they have not discovered. That’s what occurs when you might have two wide-ranging investigations occurring on the similar time.”
His spoke on the finish of a day which noticed Donald Trump return to Washington for the primary time since he left workplace. The former President delivered the newest in a collection of speeches that look like constructing to an announcement that he’ll run for the presidency once more in 2024.
In a separate report, the Washington Post claims that the Justice Department is investigating Donald Trump’s actions as a part of a prison investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
Prosecutors have been questioning witnesses earlier than a grand jury. Over the previous few days they’ve subpoenaed two high aides to former Vice-President Mike Pence and have requested about conversations and conferences Mr Trump had in December 2020 and early January 2021.
Source: information.sky.com”