Rep. Adam Schiff says Jan. 6 committee has ‘sufficient evidence’ to charge Trump

Rep. Adam Schiff said Sunday that the House Jan. 6 committee has “sufficient evidence” to charge Donald Trump for last year’s attack on the U.S. Capitol, but he would not say whether the panel will issue criminal referrals to the Justice Department.

The committee, of which Mr. Schiff is a member, is working in its last days to finish its final report, which is expected to include criminal referrals for various former officials related to Mr. Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

“I think there’s sufficient evidence to charge the president,” the California Democrat said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “But I would want to see the full body of evidence if I were in the prosecutor’s shoes to make a decision. But you know, this is someone who, in multiple ways, tried to pressure state officials to find votes that didn’t exist. This is someone who tried to interfere with a joint session, even inciting a mob to attack the Capitol. If that’s not criminal, then I don’t know what is.”

Any criminal referrals that the panel makes would be non-binding and would come as the Justice Department is conducting its own probe into Mr. Trump’s actions surrounding Jan. 6. Potential charges from the committee include insurrection, obstruction of an official proceeding and conspiracy to defraud the federal government.

“I don’t want to telegraph too much what we’re considering,” said Mr. Schiff, who also chairs House Intelligence Committee. “But I will say that I think the president has violated multiple criminal laws, and I think you have to be treated like any other American who breaks the law, and that is you have to be prosecuted.”

• Ramsey Touchberry can be reached at [email protected].