— Washington Rep. Adam Schiff, a member of the House select committee investigating the assault on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, stated on Sunday that the group has been “far ahead” of the Department of Justice in its investigation into the deadly attack.
“We have been well ahead of the Justice Department in nearly all aspects of our inquiry. I believe they have utilized the evidence we offered in public hearings. In an interview with “Face the Nation,” Schiff stated, “I believe they will use the material we like to give in our report to advance their investigations.”” “And I think it makes a significant statement, not a partisan one, but a statement about the evidence of an attack on the institutions of our democracy and the peaceful transfer of power, that Congress is willing to disclose criminality when investigating an attack on itself.”
After more than one thousand interviews and ten public sessions, the select committee will conclude its inquiry into the attack on January 6 and former President Donald Trump’s efforts to prevent the transfer of power. The group is scheduled to divulge the examination’s conclusions in a final report, which Schiff predicted will be released around December 21. Members were also scheduled to meet Sunday afternoon to decide whether or not to report criminal cases to the Department of Justice.
Schiff stated that the committee’s report would contain a determination of who will be referred to the Justice Department for prosecution, and he and his other panel members are examining a variety of issues about potential criminal referrals.
“What I can tell you about the process is that we are assessing the volume of evidence against individuals. What is the effect of referring someone? Are we going to imply, by pointing to some, that others lacked sufficient proof, when we do not know, for instance, what evidence is in the Justice Department’s position? “he said. “Therefore, if we do make referrals, we will be extremely cautious. But I think we can all agree that there is evidence of criminal activity here, and we want to make sure the Justice Department is notified.”
The select committee stated in a statement that referrals to outside bodies should be seen as the final phase of its work, and Rep. Bennie Thompson, the committee’s chairman, acknowledged last week that the committee is also investigating if any of the witnesses lied under oath.
»Schiff said the Jan. 6 committee investigation is “far ahead” of the Justice Department«