Washington, D.C. — With the indictment of Donald Trump on criminal charges in New York, the former president is beginning to see that allegations of wrongdoing that have followed him for years may finally play out in court. But those charges are only the beginning of Trump’s legal issues.
A new report from the Center for American Progress calls for Trump and his allies to be held fully accountable for their wide-ranging plot to overturn the valid 2020 election results, including the January 6 insurrection.
This includes accountability not only for Trump himself but also for his top attorneys and advisers, relevant members of Congress, individual insurrectionists and their organizations, and relevant state and local officials who knowingly facilitated his plot. Law enforcement authorities, state legislatures, state bar associations, and others must send a clear signal that no one can be above the law in a fully functioning democracy.
The report recommends:
- Trump should be investigated and, where it merits, prosecuted under federal and state law as well as disqualified from holding office under the 14th Amendment.
- Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), and other congressmen who the January 6 Committee singled out for punishment must, where appropriate, be stripped of their leadership and committee positions and face expulsion.
- Law enforcement authorities should not only prosecute individual insurrectionists, but the government should also investigate, and where appropriate, pursue relevant paramilitary groups, such as the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, at the organization level.
“Trump is not above the law,” said Michael Sozan, a senior fellow at CAP and co-author of the report. “Without full accountability for Trump and his allies related to their plot to steal an election, the threat to democracy grows. Trump continues to use extreme and violent political rhetoric, while Rep. Kevin McCarthy remains as House speaker, despite his range of misconduct, including ignoring a valid committee subpoena. Americans demand accountability.”
Read the report: “Trump and His Allies Must Be Held Accountable for the January 6 Insurrection” by Michael Sozan and William Roberts
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For more information or to speak with an expert, please contact Sam Hananel at [email protected].