Jan. 6 committee plans to make criminal referrals but won’t say who will be targets

The Jan. 6 committee has decided to make criminal referrals to federal prosecutors but hasn’t finalized who will be targeted, the chairman of the House panel said Tuesday.

As the clock ticks down to the end of the panel’s term, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) revealed for the first time that the committee has voted to recommend the Justice Department file charges related to the investigation.

“We have not made a decision as to who, but we have made decisions that criminal referrals will happen,” Thompson said.

Thompson would not say if the committee was still considering referring former President Donald Trump.

“I wish I could tell you 1, 2, 3, 4,” Thompson said. “But all that’s still being discussed.”

He said that one or more of the referrals might be for lying to the committee.

The panel heard conflicting testimony about some issues, most notably the dramatic confrontation between Trump and Secret Service agents when he angrily demanded to be taken to the Capitol to lead the violent uprising on Jan. 6.

After a damning 18-month probe, the committee is convinced that Trump and some of his acolytes committed crimes in a failed effort to stay in power after he lost the 2020 election to President Biden.

But the panel is divided over whether a referral of Trump is necessary or helpful especially since prosecutors are aware of its findings.

[ Trump hit with subpoena by Jan. 6 committee ]

The committee is expected to only make criminal referrals if the panel votes unanimously to approve the moves.

A subcommittee that includes Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), the vice chair, along with Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D.-Calif.) is expected to make recommendations to the full committee.