If the committee gets its hands on call logs, memos from senior White House staff and entries from the then-President’s schedule, it will be able to create a much fuller picture than is already known about how far Trump directed events, the depth of his effort to steal the election from Biden and how little he did to stop the January 6 riot once it started.
“In 2021, for the first time since the Civil War, the Nation did not experience a peaceful transfer of power,” the House Committee wrote. “The Select Committee has reasonably concluded that it needs the documents of the then-President who helped foment the breakdown in the rule of law. … It is difficult to imagine a more critical subject for Congressional investigation.”
While Trump perpetually tries to evade the consequences of his actions, his latest campaign of obstruction is closely linked with his increasing political activity heading into the midterm elections and a possible 2024 presidential campaign. If the committee were to produce a damning report of Trump’s conduct, it would form a powerful public record of an attempt by an ex-President to destroy America’s democratic heritage as he apparently seeks the office again. There is every reason to believe that in a new White House term, and feeling validated, Trump would pose an even greater threat to democratic governance.
Hiding the truth of January 6
The lengths to which Trump is prepared to go to prevent Americans from learning the full truth about the Capitol insurrection came to light in late night court filings on Friday and early Saturday. The National Archives for the first time revealed details in a sworn declaration about the trove of documents Trump wants kept secret.
Among the 700 pages of documents are handwritten memos from then White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, logs of calls by the then-President and then-Vice President Mike Pence and White House visitor records.
In the…
Read More: Trump escalates his January 6 cover-up as political comeback steps up