The January 6th Committee Won't Matter if Americans Elect a Republican Congress

Six weeks ago tonight, the January 6th Committee commenced its public hearings. Tonight it concluded its first round of hearings with more promised in September.

Over the course of the past six weeks it is clear there would have been no attack on the Capitol on January 6th if not for defeated former President Trump who summoned a mob to Washington, D.C. for the purpose of preventing the peaceful transition of power. The focus of tonight's hearing was how members of Trump's inner circle up to and including his own family begged and pleaded with him to stop the attack. 

Trump was unmoved for 187 minutes until federal officials including Vice-President Pence deployed personnel to clear the Capitol. Then and only then did he tell his supporters to go home, but he praised their behavior insisting that he won the election by a landslide. The following day when addressing the nation it was revealed that when urged to say the election was over Trump said, "I don't want to say the election is over." For Trump, the 2020 won't be over until the day he dies. For many of his supporters, it will continue will after Trump has left this mortal coil.

Yet with the facts that are known and with more damning things soon to come the efforts of the January 6th Committee will be all for naught if Americans elect a Republican Congress in November. Not only would a Republican Congress chloroform the January 6th Committee but they would very likely establish committees to investigate it, its members, staff and possibly witnesses. They will do this in between attempts to impeach President Biden.

Let us also consider Republicans have nominated gubernatorial candidates who believe the 2020 election was stolen such as Doug Mastriano in Pennsylvania and Dan Cox in Maryland. If elected will install people with the same point of view who will never certify any election their favored candidate loses and the will of the people be damned. Their presence and power would also nullify the facts found by the January 6th Committee. 

Even those Republicans who acknowledge Trump was in the wrong on January 6th will still back him if he is the GOP nominee. Pence will be on bended knee seeking Trump's approval before the gavel has struck. 

I wish I could be more optimistic about the January 6th Committee. Most Americans might acknowledge that Trump was in the wrong. But I bet most of these same Americans are more concerned about the their dollar than they are about our democracy.