Matt BlazeHearing started. https://january6th.house.gov/
After almost two years, despite having seen most of it many times now, the on-the-ground footage from the January 6th riot has lost none of its impact on me. Watching it is still a gut punch, every time.
Also, I love Ruby Freeman.
She's a national treasure, and the harassment she's suffered is a national shame.
Raskin now talking about criminal referrals.
Committee recommending prosecution of Trump for Obstruction of an Official Proceeding, Trump, Eastman and others for Conspiracy to Defraud the US.
And Trump and others for 1001 (for the false electors) and (the big one) inciting insurrection.
Raskin is being forceful and unequivocal. Speaking like a prosecutor announcing indictments
Committee adjourns.
Worth noting that the criminal referrals have only limited legal significance. The big deal is the body of sworn testimony and other evidence they developed that comes along with it, and that will be very useful to any prosecutors who file charges.
Of course, legal formalities aside, the referrals will have considerable political and news influence. They will increase pressure on (and provide some cover to) DoJ, the special prosecutor, and various state prosecutors, to move their cases forward.
Moon Baron 
@mattblaze Anybody have any over-under takes on whether the DOJ presses any of the charges?
Toxteth O'Grady@mattblaze And Kevin McCarthy got referred to the Ethics committee for refusing to testify, says @juddlegum
toxtethogrady@mattblaze I think the list of charges is compelling. And maybe Jack Smith is compelled...
NLAWScametovisit@mattblaze 2028 material
JaneETowle@mattblaze Jamie Raskin is one of my heroes 
@JaneETowle Raskin did really well.
Kyle Orland@mattblaze so glad to call him my rep
Princess@mattblaze yay Maryland!!!! ❤️
@mattblaze Four referrals of Trump - and others (but only Jon Eastman is mentioned by name)...
Angela GraceI hope she sues for defamation—
Attorney 
@mattblaze and her daughter too! Its ridiculous what they had to go through because of FPOTUS
@attorney Officially, the F in FPOTUS stands for "former", but I have a different word in mind.
sxpert@mattblaze @attorney a 4-letter word ?
@mattblaze @sxpert because of the Opening Arguments podcast I forever read it in my head as “F-boi POTUS”
mediadude@attorney @mattblaze should be “ex-“. We fired him.
Phil@mattblaze likewise
French TexPat@mattblaze truly. It was my grandmother's birthday. They ruined that - also - for entire family in perpetuity.
Big George@mattblaze as a non American, does this hearing have any teeth ? Can they actually do anything in law ?
@george They have no power to prosecute, but they developed an extensive sworn record, and that can be used in subsequent criminal prosecutions.
@mattblaze ahh. So a prosecutor still needs to agree and lay charges. Is that a political appointment ?
@george Right, need a (state or federal) prosecutor to file charges to actually indict anyone.
Federal prosecutors are part of the executive branch, appointed by the president. Most state prosecutors are elected (or appointed by elected state attorneys general).
@mattblaze thanks. Could be fun and games going forward.
Joseph SimkoI was holed up in a hotel in Madison, WI for a week on business when Jan 6th happened. I felt like I was losing my damn mind. The pandemic was raging, I couldn't get a vaccine yet, and there was a massive riot at the Capital.
I never want to feel like that again.
Lesley Carhart 
@mattblaze I can't do it. I'll read the play by play.
@hacks4pancakes I hear you.
Tofu Golem@mattblaze
Oh no! You forgot to use a "but both sides" argument to make the Republicans seem less bad.
Now the mainstream media is going to have to write another think piece about polarization.