District of Columbia’s attorney general Karl Racine said Monday that he is considering criminal charges against Donald Trump Jr., Rudy Giuliani and GOP congressman Mo Brooks with inciting the violent invasion of the U.S. Capitol last week by a mob of Donald Trump’s supporters. He also left open the door to prosecuting President Trump himself for the same conduct once he leaves office later this month.
Racine’s remarks came during an interview on MSNBC’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports,” after he was shown video clips of the Trumps and the president’s personal lawyer, Giuliani, Trump Jr. and Rep. Brooks whipping up a crowd at a rally outside the White House last Wednesday.
“Let’s just say first, those were outrageous comments that those individuals, including the president of the United States made,” Racine said.
“Clearly the crowd was hyped up, juiced up, focused on the Capitol and rather than calm then down or at least emphasize the peaceful nature of what protests need to be, they really did encourage these folks and riled them up,” Racine said.
“Whether that comes to a legal complaint, I think we’ve got to really dig in and get all of the facts. I know I’m looking at a charge under the D.C. Code of inciting violence, and that would apply where there’s a clear recognition that one’s incitement could lead to foreseeable violence,” the attorney general said.
“We still have more investigation to do, and that’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to work zealously and fully and let the facts lead to where they naturally go.”
Racine noted that the U.S. Justice Department has claimed it cannot prosecute a sitting president while in office.
“As it turns out, the president has about nine more days of office and, of course, the investigation is going to go on much beyond those nine days,” Racine said.
“It will be another legal question as to whether the president can be prosecuted after his term of office. I think the better weight of authority answers that question affirmatively.”
Watch the video below:
Watch D.C. AG Karl Racine's announcement about potentially charging Trump and others for inciting violence:pic.twitter.com/MrvWj8W7mU
— The Recount (@therecount) January 11, 2021
