January 6 Committee Hearing Beginning Shortly

10:00 ET 15:00 BST: The January 6 Committee is shortly due to begin the next publicly broadcast hearing investigating the unrest on Capitol Hill following the 2020 election.

• Today’s hearing will focus on the “Big Lie,” former president Donald Trump’s claim that the 2020 election was stolen, or illegitimate. Former Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien will provide testimony.
• A Congressional hearing is not a criminal case so the central unknown is whether the Department of Justice will decide to prosecute the former president.
• Politico: “The volume of the conversation around charging Trump — and its massive impact — will put pressure on [Attorney General] Merrick Garland’s decision.”
• New York Times: “The first prime time hearing into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol this past week confronted the fundamental question that has haunted Mr. Trump, the 45th president, ever since he left office: Should he be prosecuted in a criminal court for his relentless efforts to defy the will of the voters and hang on to power?”
• Neal K. Katyal, acting solicitor general under President Barack Obama: “I think the committee, especially Liz Cheney, outlined a powerful criminal case against the former president.”
• Rep Elaine Luria (D-VA): “Trump was told by multiple people... that there was no evidence that showed the election was stolen, and he ignored that. And so, the hearing that we’re going to have on Monday is really focusing on a deep dive in that.”
• Rep Jamie Raskin (D-MD): “I think we can prove to any reasonable, open-minded person that Donald Trump absolutely knew [the election result was fair], because he was surrounded by lawyers, including the attorney general of the United States, William Barr, telling him in no uncertain terms...”