Democrats corner Republicans with their bid to publicise Jan 6 panel findings on Capitol riots in US

WASHINGTON: The Democrats have preempted Republicans short-lived euphoria on retaking the House by declaring that the party would release the final report of the Jan 6 Congressional Panel headed by Democrat Bennie Thompson and Republican Vice Chair Liz Cheney on the alleged involvement of former President Donald Trump in inciting right wing extremists such as oath keepers and proud boys to invade the Congress building to hold up the election certification process in 2021.

The Republicans, thrilled over their victory in retaking the House of Representatives from the Democrats at 222 to 213, albeit a thin majority, began issuing threats that they would scrap all the panels probing Trump, but the Georgia runoff between Democrat Raphael Warnock and Republican Herschel Walker would deliver a deathly blow on their plans.

The Democrats secured a clear majority in the Senate with 51 to 49 and Vice President on their side with the tie-breaking advantage, giving them enough powers to ensure existing panels are not scrapped and also powers to appoint judges and top-level bureaucrats in various positions in the government, media reports said.

Democrat Adam Schiff said that "facts support" indicting Trump but didn't name specific charges. The committee is still weighing potential criminal referrals to the Justice Department.

The California Democrat said that facts gathered by the House select committee investigating the January 6 Capitol attack support indictment of former President Donald Trump. Schiff, who is himself a member of the committee, made the comments in an interview with NPR.

The Jan 6 panel faces dissolution by the year end and it is highly unlikely that it will be renewed by a Republican dominated House that will sit in January 2023. Their final report is therefore expected sometime this month, and sources told the NBC news that it could be released on December 21. (IANS)

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