January 6 House Committee To Issue Criminal Referrals - Chair

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 07th December, 2022) The House select committee investigating the January 6 riot will send criminal referrals to the Justice Department, but is yet to decide who it will recommend charging and what offenses it will put forward, Chair Rep. Bennie Thompson said Tuesday.

"What we've decided is that we will probably make referrals," Thompson told reporters as quoted by The New York Times. "There's a general agreement we will do some referrals, but we've got to get there. We're not there yet."

The committee is to meet later Tuesday, where the criminal referrals will be part of its discussion, Thompson added.

The statement was made as a debate is ongoing within the panel about whether to issue charges against former President Donald Trump and some of his top allies.

A criminal referral would be a symbolic act by the panel since the Congress has no power to charge or prosecute, the newspaper noted.