Investigation into Trump supporters' attack on Capitol begins: Can it all be over before the elections?

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - The US Congress's investigation into the January 6 attack on the Capitol by Donald Trump supporters will begin soon and will last for weeks, and the American public awaits public hearings that will bring the investigation into focus as the campaign intensifies for the November elections.

The investigation into the worst attack on Congress since the War of 1812 has largely taken place behind closed doors. The select committee of the House of Representatives has interviewed more than 300 witnesses about the violence by Trump supporters who tried to overturn his election defeat and Trump's response to it, Reuters writes.

Committee members are racing to complete their work before the November 8 elections. The seven Democrats and two Republicans know that their efforts could be cut short if Republicans regain a majority in the House of Representatives, as forecasters believe is likely. Media coverage of the hearings could become campaign fodder.

Republican leadership in the House of Representatives has refused to participate in the investigation, as about 55% of Republican voters now believe former President Trump's claims that his defeat was the result of widespread fraud. Several courts have rejected this claim, but it has nevertheless fueled a wave of new state restrictions on voting.

The House investigation runs parallel to the Justice Department's prosecution of about 725 accused rioters on charges ranging from disorderly conduct to conspiracy. About 165 people have pleaded guilty so far to participating in the attack, and the first trials could begin next month.

Members of the House committee warn that false claims of voter fraud that inspired the violence are also undermining faith in the American democratic system.

"Our democracy was inches from collapse," said Representative Bennie Thompson, chairman of the committee, at a congressional hearing last month.

"We want to find out why and share that information with the American people," he added.

The select committee is tasked with investigating and reporting on what led to the attack, in which Trump supporters attacked police, broke windows, and sent members of Congress and then-Vice President Mike Pence fleeing.

The committee aims to release a preliminary report in the summer of 2022 and a final report in the fall, a source familiar with the investigation said.

"We will hold public hearings lasting several weeks, presenting to the American people in vivid detail exactly what happened, every minute of the day on January 6, here at the Capitol and in the White House, and what led to that violent attack," Republican Representative Liz Cheney said last month.

The only public hearing so far, held in July, included testimony from four police officers about the physical and verbal assaults they faced responding to the Capitol riot.

"I feel like I went to hell and back to protect the people in this room," said then-District of Columbia police officer Michael Fanone, referring to the lawmakers.

"The indifference I show to my colleagues is shameful," Fanone added, hitting the witness table with his hand.

About 140 police officers were attacked during the riots, the Justice Department said. One officer who fought the rioters died the day after the attack, and four who guarded the Capitol later died by suicide. Four rioters also died, including one who was shot by police while trying to climb into the building through a broken window.

Trump has played a significant role in the committee's work from the beginning, and that focus has become more apparent in recent weeks.

The committee could issue a "criminal referral," increasing political pressure on Attorney General Merrick Garland to act.

In November, the Justice Department charged Trump ally Steve Bannon with "contempt of Congress," a misdemeanor, after he defied a subpoena from the Select Committee for his testimony. Bannon vowed to fight the charges, saying he had a legal basis to refuse to testify.

The committee has recommended similar charges against two other Trump allies.

Trump is separately under investigation by state prosecutors in Georgia for allegedly pressuring election officials to change vote counts in his favor, Reuters reports.