THE SQUIZ
Nearly 2 years after the attack on the US Capitol, a US House of Representatives committee has unanimously voted to refer former US President Donald Trump to the Justice Department for criminal prosecution. It’s the first time a US Congressional investigation has made a criminal referral against a former president. They say he should be charged with 4 federal crimes, including insurrection, and a report detailing their thinking will be released later this week. But in short, the committee found that Trump instigated the attack, illegally provided “aid and comfort” to rioters, and that “none of the events of January 6 would have happened without him”.

HOW DID IT COME TO THIS?
So to explain the committee a bit… It’s a panel of 7 Democrats and 2 Republicans, and they’ve spent 18 months investigating the riots, which left 5 people dead and hundreds injured in the violence. They also looked into Trump’s “multi-part plan” to overturn his 2020 presidential election loss. Committee vice chair Liz Cheney – a Republican (aka from Trump’s party) – said they found him “unfit for any office”. She called his refusal to issue a public statement while watching things unfold on TV an “utter moral failure and a clear dereliction of duty”. If prosecuted and found guilty, Trump could face 20 years in prison, huge fines, and a ban from running for political office – but there are no guarantees that will happen… Congress can’t lay charges, so it’s up to the Justice Department to decide. But that’s not where it ends for Trump – he’s got other legal issues over his handling of classified documents, the campaign to get the election result overturned in Georgia, and there are scores of civil cases.

WILL IT HURT TRUMP’S 2024 PRESIDENTIAL BID?
Trump says the investigations into him and his businesses are partisan “witch hunts” designed to stop him from regaining power, so his supporters may view this latest development as proof of those claims. But recent polls show his popularity is waning with many Americans – including amongst Republicans. Since announcing his 2024 bid last month, Trump hasn’t done much to further his campaign – unless you count the launch of an NFT collection… Polling shows him losing to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for the Republican presidential nomination, and he’s also trailing in a head-to-head match-up against President Joe Biden. With all that said, it wouldn’t be the first time Trump has overcome the odds…