WATCH: Rep. Luria on Trump’s ‘dereliction of duty’ during insurrection | Jan. 6 final meetingRep. Elaine Luria, D-Va., spoke on Dec. 19 as the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack presented its final findings to the public.
Luria said that former president Donald Trump’s attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election came to a head when he addressed a crowd of his supporters on the Ellipse on the afternoon of January 6. She said that Trump watched the crowd descend on the Capitol on television, and refused for several hours to issue a public statement instructing them to go home or to diffuse the situation.
“For 187 minutes, he actively disregarded his constitutional obligation to take care that the laws are faithfully executed,” Luria said. “As we've established through months of investigation, that is because the mob wanted what President Trump wanted — to impede the peaceful transition of power.”
Luria then presented a summary of Trump’s behavior throughout that period of time, including his refusal to contact law enforcement for help and his continued pressure on Congressional leaders to delay the joint session. She noted that he eventually released a video statement that reiterated the lie that the 2020 presidential election was stolen, but also suggested that his supporters at the Capitol disperse, which led a portion of them to do so.
She also said that Trump attempted to downplay the seriousness of the attack on the Capitol in the days that followed the insurrection, and that he believed the rioters’ actions were justified.
“President Trump lit the flame, he poured gasoline on the fire, and sat by in the White House dining room for hours watching the fire burn,” Luria said. “And today, he still continues to fan those flames. That was his extreme dereliction of duty.”
The Jan. 6 committee will release its full report later this week as the panel wraps up its work.
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WATCH: Committee recommends criminal charges for Trump and others | Jan. 6 final meetingRep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., gave an opening statement on Dec. 19 as the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack presented its final findings to the public.
The committee reached the conclusion that Trump violated four criminal statutes and recommended the former president to the Justice Department for prosecution.
One of the recommended charges is that of obstructing an official proceeding of the U.S. government. Raskin said there was also evidence to refer Trump and others for violating a statute that makes it a crime to conspire to defraud the United States. Raskin then said there was evidence to recommend a criminal prosecution for conspiracy to make a false statement, pointing to evidence that “clearly suggests that President Trump conspired with others to submit slates of fake electors to Congress and the National Archives.”
Finally, Raskin said the committee believes there is enough evidence to charge Trump for assisting, aiding and comforting “those at the Capitol who engaged in a violent attack on the United States,” or an insurrection.
The Jan. 6 committee will release its full report later this week as the panel wraps up its work.
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Jan. 6 committee recommends criminal charges against Trump for Capitol attackThe committee investigating the January 6 attack on the Capitol is winding up its investigation after 18 months, more than one thousand interviews and ten public hearings. Monday, members voted to approve their final report and recommended that the Department of Justice charge former President Trump with four crimes, including aiding an insurrection. Lisa Desjardins reports.
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Next steps for criminal referrals against Trump and alliesWhat are the next steps for the Jan. 6 committee's criminal referrals against former President Donald Trump and his allies to the Department of Justice? Mary McCord of Georgetown University's Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection and Jamil Jaffer of George Mason University joined Judy Woodruff to discuss.
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How effective will UN biodiversity agreement be in saving species at risk?A historic agreement was reached Monday at the United Nations Biodiversity Conference in Canada that aims to increase protections for the world’s lands and oceans. It comes as the planet continues to experience a staggering decline in biodiversity driven in large part by human behavior. Collin O’Mara of the National Wildlife Federation joined William Brangham to discuss the agreement.
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Amy Walter and Annie Linskey on the high-stakes week ahead for CongressAmy Walter of the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter and Annie Linskey of the Wall Street Journal join Judy Woodruff to discuss the latest political news, including a high-stakes week ahead in Congress, the Jan. 6 committee report and work continues on a funding bill to prevent a government shutdown.
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New film 'Retrograde' chronicles chaotic United States withdrawal from AfghanistanIt has been 16 months since the United States left Afghanistan in what a top U.S. military officer called a “strategic defeat.” The new film "Retrograde" documents the withdrawal, the Afghan forces left to fight on their own, and the chaotic conclusion to 20 years of war. Nick Schifrin sat down with filmmaker Matthew Heineman and one of his central characters.
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Arts groups rally to rebuild creative oasis in Wichita, Kansas'Tis the season for holiday performances and it’s always a key time for arts groups relying on holiday fare to bring in crowds. But this holiday season comes as arts organizations continue to wrestle with the pandemic's impact. Jeffrey Brown traveled to Wichita, Kansas, to see how some are adapting and applying lessons learned during the shutdown. It’s for our arts and culture series, "CANVAS."
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Nebraska sculptor becomes first African American with work displayed in Statuary HallA major attraction for visitors to Washington is the National Statuary Hall Collection. Housed in the United States Capitol, it honors two notable people from each state, most of whom are white and male. Nebraska will soon help diversify the collection, both with the subject of its sculpture and the artist. Special correspondent Cat Wise has the story for our arts and culture series, "CANVAS."
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U.S. military accelerates in Pacific in attempt to prevent a Chinese invasion of TaiwanThe Biden administration calls China the most consequential strategic competitor for the United States now and for decades to come. One major source of tension is Taiwan, which is supported by the U.S. but considered a breakaway province by China. Nick Schifrin traveled to the American military command in the Pacific tasked with preparing for any future conflict with China.
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Congress close to passing massive spending bill with other pieces of legislation attachedLawmakers are working around the clock to pass a massive $1.7 trillion government funding bill before heading home for the holidays. Over 4,000 pages of legislative text were released overnight and include key spending measures for defense, Ukraine aid, disaster aid and more. John Bresnahan of Punchbowl News joined Judy Woodruff to go over the omnibus package.
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Border communities try to balance needs of residents and migrants amid humanitarian crisisIn normal times, asylum seekers who make it to the U.S. border are entitled to a hearing. But during the pandemic, emergency rule Title 42 allowed officials to deport certain migrants. Monday, the Supreme Court put a hold on a lower court's decision to end Title 42, but that may only last a few days. El Paso Deputy City Manager Mario D’Agostino joined William Brangham to discuss the situation.
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WATCH: PBS NewsHour's Judy Woodruff reflects on her careerPBS NewsHour's Judy Woodruff spoke with NewsHour's Deema Zein and answered questions live on TikTok on Dec. 20 about her career in journalism and what comes next after she steps down from the NewsHour anchor desk ahead of the new year.
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WATCH: Biden tells Zelenskyy that 'it's an honor to be by your side' in defending UkraineStream your PBS favorites with the PBS app: https://to.pbs.org/2Jb8twG
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WATCH: ‘No compromise’ in Ukraine’s sovereignty and territory for peace, Zelenskyy saysThere will be ‘no compromise’ in Ukraine’s sovereignty and territory in exchange for peace with Russia, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Wednesday.
“A just peace is no compromises as to the sovereignty, freedom and territorial integrity of my country,” Zelenskyy said during a news briefing with President Joe Biden.
Zelenskyy said Russia would also have to compensate Ukraine for the damages inflicted by the invasion but added that for many Ukrainians who have lost family members, compensation was “of no consequence.
“I would like to emphasize how many parents lost their sons and daughters on the front lines, so what is just peace for them? Money is nothing,” Zelenskyy said.
He added that many now “live by revenge” and that prolonging the war will only harden more Ukrainians against peace with Russia.
Biden said he had the “same vision” as Zelenskyy and that the United States would continue to support Ukraine with military aid with the hopes that Russia will be forced to agree to peace terms.
“When President Zelenskyy is ready to talk with the Russians, he will be able to succeed as well because he will have won on the battlefield,” Biden said.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is now in its 10th month, devastating the country’s infrastructure and resulting in millions of evacuees. Ukraine resisted the initial invasion and has been subjected to Russian air strikes and brutal fighting in the country’s east.
Power has been knocked out across the country. Last week in Kyiv, authorities said that more than half of residents were without electricity or water.
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Zelenskyy visits Washington to meet with Biden and address Congress amid plea for more aidPresident Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine made a surprise visit to his nation's most important partner in its fight against Russia. Zelenskyy arrived in Washington on Wednesday to meet with President Biden and address Congress. It comes as U.S. lawmakers are set to pass a major funding increase for Ukraine and the administration prepares to send more weapons.
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