Trump must be held accountable for Jan 6.

The most recent January 6th televised hearing, showed numerous clips of Trump’s lawyers, DOJ Barr, and White House aides, who all testified that Donald Trump knew he’d lost the 2020 presidential election; he’d told Chief of Staff, Mark Meadows, “we can’t let the word out that we lost, that’s too embarrassing”. Several close to Trump, such as Bannon & Stone, knew & told others that Trump planned to emphatically declare himself the winner on election night; then Trump set in motion extensive efforts to overthrow election results. We learned that ‘Oath Keepers’ were in contact with some Secret Service agents, weeks before Jan 6th; that agents were alerted to threats by ‘Proud Boys’ to “kill people & erect gallows”. So, why weren’t more defensive maneuvers established to thwart violence? Clearly some rogue agents & officers were in sync with GOP plans to overthrow the election.

Trump knew that many followers were armed & wearing tactical gear, yet he demanded they be allowed into the ellipse area, roaring, “They are NOT here to hurt me, let them in!” Trump was apoplectic, when restrained from storming the Capitol, with the mob. Returned to the White House, he gleefully watched the medieval-style warfare with the Capitol police; his followers breaking into the Capitol, disrupting the electoral certification. He refused urgent pleas from advisors, associates & family members to call off the rioters, and to call for our National Guard. Trump had the ‘troops’ he wanted on duty.

The videos showed McConnel, Thune & Scalise huddled with Pelosi, Schumer & others as they watched the monitors showing the mob breaking in, urinating & defecating in the halls, and calling out death-threats for specific legislators. With no help forthcoming, House Speaker Pelosi called Virginia & Maryland governors, asking them to send their National Guard troops to the Capitol. As the legislators heard that Donald Trump was coming to the Capitol (no president is allowed to enter the Capitol building unless they are specifically invited), spunky ‘badass’ Nancy Pelosi, was shown on video, exclaiming, “if Trump comes to the Capitol, I’ll punch him in the face, I’ll punch him out, go to jail, and be happy!”

Trump led a violent rebellion against our country, our fair elections, the will of the majority, and our peaceful transfer of power. The Jan 6th hearing committee ended with the unanimous vote resolution to subpoena Donald J. Trump, before their committee to answer questions. We know he’s a no-show, though TRUMP MUST BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE for January 6, 2021, and all his other crimes!

Trish Forsyth Voss