US lawmakers demand immediate Justice Dept briefing on Trump's role in Capitol Hill attack

US Democratic Party members have demanded more information from the Justice Department regarding what they are doing to investigate the Capitol Hill attack that left five people dead. In a letter to Christopher Wray, director of the FBI, the Democratic leaders requested an “urgent briefing” on the steps the FBI is taking to investigate the "terrorist attack" on the federal building by President Donald Trump, his supporters, and outside groups. 

The leaders, including the heads of the Oversight Judiciary, Homeland Security, Intelligence and Armed Services committees, said that Trump incited his supporters to travel to Washington and "menace members of Congress". According to the New York Times, they even cited a statement by the president made on Twitter last month and comments he made at a rally just before the rioters violently stormed the Capitol. 

The letter read, "We write to request an immediate and urgent briefing on the steps the Federal Bureau of Investigation is taking to investigate and pursue for prosecution the instigation, planning, and execution of the deadly terrorist attack on the United States Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, by President Donald Trump, his supporters and outside groups." 

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Trump accused of ‘inciting an insurrection’

Additionally, a Justice Department spokesman on Saturday said that the department has also received a separate request from the US Congress for information pertaining to the riot and is working to fulfil it. Trump’s role in the January 6 riot underpins the articles of impeachment that House Democrats have drawn up, accusing the outgoing president of ‘inciting an insurrection’. Along with Democrats, several Republicans have also said that they would consider supporting a possible effort by congressional Democrats to impeach Trump. 

Democrats are discussing whether to act quickly and impeach Trump as soon as next week if his Cabinet doesn’t first try to remove him after he encouraged his supporters to ransack the Capitol building. With Trump's term almost expired, it is still not clear whether there would be enough time to complete the impeachment process. However, leaders are discussing options for his removal as Trump first encouraged rally-goers near the White House to march on the Capitol, then refused to condemn the assault and appeared to excuse it.

(With inputs from ANI) 

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