i know passage from the far east to europe and the united states. you need money, you owe you money in these mountains is ok. drug trafficking, politics and power, the era empires on al jazeera. ah jesse ah ah ah ah, hello, you're watching al jazeera, i'm at emily anglin, it's midnight g m t or 8 pm in washington, d. c. where

u. s. congressional committee is about to start the 1st of 6 public hearings into the january 6th capitol hill attack. these are live pitches as we a white for the hearing to begin. new evidence into the insurrection will be presented following a 10 month inquiry. in january last year, supporters of van that president, donald trump, stormed the capital to stop the certification of jo biden's. when 4 people that were in the crowd died and 5 police officers died or killed themselves in the days and months after the attack. this is what you as president joe biden had to say ahead of the hearing. i think to clear, flagrant violation constitution. i think those guys who morning broke the law tried to turn around in result of an election and a lot of questions. who's responsible, who's involved? i'm not, can make a judgment on that,

but it is want to know what you know. we're gonna probably be a lot of americans are received for the 1st time, some of the details that occur. let's bring in heidi j. castro, who's lived for us at capitol hill. heidi, we will be brief because that hearing is about to begin. what are we expecting to hear tonight, emily democrats and you just heard from president biden? they have really amplified expectations. so now the question is, can they deliver this? as you said, as the 1st of probably 6 public hearings and we're told by an a to the select committee that this will kind of lay the groundwork. it'll be the opening statement in a sense that attempts to paint for the american public. not only what happened on january 6th as a ride, unfolded, but how the nation got to that point. and also the efforts to overturn the 2020 for the idea. i'm going to interrupt you bridget. it's visa, ending now as a resident, trust me and, and we'll cross back to you shortly. committed to investigate,

to january 6th attack on a united states capital would be an order. without objection, the chair is authorized to declare the committee in recess at any point. but so at the house deposition authority regulation t in the chair announces the committees approval to release the deposition material presented during tonight's hearing. thanks everyone watching to night for sharing part of your evening to learn the facts and causes of the events leading up to and including the violent attack. on january sick, 2021. our democracy electors system and country. and bennett thompson, chairman of the january 6, 2021 committee. i was born raised and still live in bolton,

mississippi. a town with a population of $521.00, which is midway between jackson in vicksburg, mississippi and the mississippi river. i'm from a part of the country where people justify the actions of slavery, the clue, klux klan, and lynching. and remanded, of that dark history as i hear voices to day try and justify the actions of the insurrection with on january 6th, 2021. over the next few weeks, hopefully you will get to know that other members, my colleagues, up here and me, we represent a diversity of communities from all over the united states, rural areas, and cities, east coast, west coast and the heart lan. all of us have one thing in common. we

swore the same oath that same old, that our members of congress take upon taken office and out towards every 2 years. if they are reelected, we swore an old to defend the constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic. the words of the current, both taken by all of us, that nearly every united states government employee takes care of their roots in the civil war. throughout our history, the united states as part against foreign enemies, to preserve our democracy electoral system and country. when the united states capital was stormed and burned in 1814 foreign enemies were responsible. after war in 1862, when american citizens had taken up arms against this country, congress adopted

a new oath to help make sure no person who had supported the rebellion could hold a position of public trust. therefore, congress persons and united states federal government employees were required for the 1st time to swear an oath to defend the constitution. against all enemies, foreign and domestic. that old was put to test on january 6th, 2021. the police officers who hailed the land that day ana, they are both, many came out of bed day blooded and broken. they still bear those wounds visible and invisible. they did their duty, they repair the mob and ended their occupation of the capital. they defended the constitution that guess domestic enemies,

so that congress could return our poll, our own old, and count your votes to ensure the transfer of power just as we've done for hundreds of years. but unlike in 1814, it was domestic enemies of the constitution who stormed a capital, an arc pad, the capital, who sought to throw the wheel of the people to stop the transfer of power. and so they, li, so at the encouragement of the president of the united states, the president of the united states trying to star the transfer a power oppressor there that had stood for 220 years, even as our democracy had faced this most difficult tariff thinking back again to the civil war, in the sum of 1864, the president of the united states believed he will. you will be the doom to

beer is beer for reelection. he believed his opponent, general george mcclellan would waive the white fair when it came to preserving the union. but even with their graham faith hanging in the balance, president lincoln was ready to accept the wheel or the voters come. what may he made of my pledge? he rode down the words this morning. as for some days, pet, it seems exceedingly probable that this administration will not be re elected. then it will be my duty to so cooperate with the president let. it will be my duty link on the feel that memo an axis care no secretaries till fan in sight. unseen, he acts them to make the fame commitment he did to accept defeat. if

indeed defeat was the will of the people to uphold the rule of law to do what every president who came before him did. and whip ever president who followed him would do? until donald trump down front lost the presidential election in 2020. the american people voted him out of office. it was not because of a rig system, it was not the cause of load or fraud. don't believe me here where his former attorney general had to say about it are wine, those who are watching that this can now contain strong language. no, just what i i've been so i've had, i had 3 discussions with the president that i can recall. one was on november 23rd

one was on december 1st and one was on december 14th and i've been through sort of the give and take of those discussions. and in that context, i made it clear. i did not agree with the idea of saying the election was stolen and putting out this stuff, which i told the president was bullshit. and i, you know, i didn't want to be a part of it, and that's one of the reasons i went in to me deciding to leave when i did what i observed. i think it was on december 1st that you know, how can we look, he can't live in a world where, where the incumbent administration, he stays in power based on its view, unsupported by specific. hence that the election that there was fraud in the election. bureau bar on election day 2020. he was the attorney general of the united states, the top law enforcement official in the country telling the president exactly what

he thought about. claims of stolen election down front had his days and court to challenge the results. he was within his rights to seek those judgment. in the united states, law abiding citizens how those tools for pursuing justice. he lost in the courts. jeff, as he did at the ballot box and in both country, that's the end of the line. but for donald trump, that was only the beginning of what became a sprawling marty step conspiracy aimed at overturning the presidential election aimed and throwing out the boats of millions of americans. your. ready votes your voice in our democracy and replacing the will of the american people with his will to remain in power. after his turn ended, donald trump was at the center of this come to the spirit, say, and ultimately,

donald trump, the president of the united states, spurred a mob of domestic enemies of the constitution, the mart down the capital, and subvert american democracy. in a legal jargon, you hear about seditious conspiracy. obstruction of an em vishal, proceeding, conspiracy to defraud the united states boils down to this january 5th. was the culmination of an attempted cou. a brazen attempt as one right to put it shortly after january as 6 to overthrow the government. the balance was no accident . it represents senate tramps to lay at stan, most desperate chance to haul the transfer pow. now you may hear those words and think this is just another political attack on donald trump. but people who don't

like him, that's not the case. my colleagues and i all wanted an outside independent commission to investigate january 6 familar to what we had after 911. but after 1st agreeing to that idea, down france l as in congress, put a stop to it. apparently, they don't want january 6th investigated at all. and in the last 17 months, many of those same people have tried to whitewash what happen on january 6th, to rewrite history. call it a tourist visit label. it's a legitimate political discourse. donald trump and his followers have adopted the words of the song writer. do you believe me? are you lan airs? we can't sweep what happened under the rogue. the american people deserve answers.

so i come before you this evening, not as a democrat, but as an american house for an oath to defend the constitution. the constitution doesn't protect just democrats or jails. republicans. it protects all of us. we've the people. and this scheme was an attempt to undermine the will law, the people. so tonight and over the next few weeks, we're going to remind you of the reality of what happened that day. but our work must do much more than just look backwards. the cause of our democracy remains in danger. the conspiracy to prop the will of the people is not over. they are those in this audience who thirst for power, but have no love or respect for what makes america great devotion to the constitution. allegiance to a rule of law. i'll sheer journey to build

a more perfect union. january 6th. and the last that lay it to insurrection. how put in 2 and a half centuries of constitutional democracy at risk. the world is watching what we do here. america has long been expected to be a shining city on a hill, a beacon of hope and freedom, a mile of others. when we are at our best, how can we play that role when our house is in such disorder? we must confront the truth with canada, resolve, and determination. we need to show that we are worthy for the gifts that are the birthright of every american that begins here. and it begins now with a true accounting of what happened and what lay it to the attack on our

constitution and our democracy. in this moment, when the dangers of our constitution and our democracy loon law that nothing could be more important. working along for the public servants on this d. s. has been one of the greatest honors of my time in congress. it's been a particular privilege that count as a partner in this effort. and to count as a friend in the jill woman from wyoming. miss cheney, she's the patriot. a public servant of profound courage, of devotion to her old and the constitution. it's my pleasure to recognize miss chaney for her opening statement. thank you very much mister chairman, and let me echo those words about the importance of bipartisanship and what a tremendous honor it is to work on this committee. mister chairman at 6 o one p. m, on january 6th. after he spent hours watching

a violent mob besiege attack and invade our capital, donald trump tweeted, but he did not condemn the attack. instead he justified it. these are the things and events that happen, he said when a sacred landslide election, victory is so unceremoniously and viciously stripped away from great patriots who been badly and unfairly treated for so long. as you will see in the hearings to come, president trauma believed his supporters at the capital and i quote, were doing what they should be doing. this is what he told his staff as they pleaded with him to call off the mob, to instruct his supporters to leave over a series of hearings in the coming weeks. you will hear testimony live and on video . for more than half a dozen former white house staff and the trump administration,

all of whom were in the west wing of the white house on january 6th. you will hear testimony that quote, the president did not really want to put anything out. calling off the riot or asking his supporters to leave, you will hear the president trump was yelling and quote, really angry at advisors who told him he needed to be doing something more and aware of the rioters chance to hang mike pence. the president responded with this sentiment, quote, maybe our supporters have the right idea. mike pence quote, deserves it. you will hear evidence that president trump refused for hours to do with his staff. his family and many of his other advisors begged him to do immediately and struck his supporters to stand down and evacuate the capital. to night, you will see never before seen footage of the brutal attack on our capital. an

attack that unfolded while a few blocks away, president trump sat, watching television in the dining room next to the oval office. you will hear audio from the brave police officers battling for their lives and ours. fighting to defend our democracy against a violent mob. donald trump refused to call off to night and in the weeks to come, you will see evidence of what motivated this violence including directly from those . busy who participated in this attack? you will see video of them explaining what caused them to do it. you will see their posts on social media. we will show you what they have said in federal court. on this point, there is no room for debate. those who invaded our capital and battled law enforcement for hours were motivated by what president trump had told them that the election was stolen and that he was the rightful president. president trump

summoned the mob assembled the mob and lit the flame of this attack. you will also hear about plots to commit seditious conspiracy on january 6th, a crime defined in our laws as conspiring to overthrow put down or destroy by force, the government of the united states, or to oppose by force the authority thereof. multiple members of 2 groups, theos keepers, and the proud boys had been charged with this crime for their involvement in the events leading up to and on january 6th. some have pled guilty. the attack on our capital was not a spontaneous riot intelligence available before january 6 identified plans to quote, invade the capital, occupy the capital, and take other steps to halts. congress is count of electoral votes that day in our

hearings to come. we will identify elements of those plans, and we will show specifically how a group of proud boys lead a mob into the capital building on january 6th. to night i am going to describe for you some of what our committee has learned and highlight initial findings. you will see this month in our hearings. as you hear this, all americans should keep in fact, in mind. this fact on the morning of january 6th, president donald trump's intention was to remain president of the united states despite the lawful outcome of the 2020 election and in violation of his constitutional obligation to relinquish power. over multiple months, donald trump oversaw and coordinated a sophisticated 7 part plan to overturn the presidential election and prevent the transfer of presidential power. in our hearings,

you will see evidence of each element of this plan. in our 2nd hearing, you will see that donald trump and his advisors knew that he had in fact lost the election. but despite this president, trump engaged in a massive effort to spread false and fraudulent information to convince huge portions of the us population. that fraud had stolen the election from him. this was not true. jason miller was a senior trump campaign spokesman. and this clip miller describes a call between the trump campaigns, internal data expert and president trump. a few days after the 2020 election i was in the office i and at some point the conversation matters koski who is the lead data person was brought on. and i

remember he delivered to the president pretty long terms that he was going to lose . and that was based on mr. miller on mat, in the data teens assessment of this sort of county by county state by state results as reported correct. alex cannon was one of president trump campaign lawyers. he previously worked for the trump organization. one of his responsibilities was to assess allegations of election fraud in november 2020. here is one sample in his testimony, discussing what he told white house chief of staff, mark meadows i remember a call with a mr. meadows where mr. meadows was asking me what i was finding and if i was finding anything. now i remember sharing with him that we weren't finding anything

that would be sufficient to um, change the results in any of the key state. when was that conversation? probably in november, mid mid to late november i think it was before my child was born. and what was mr. meadows reacting for that information? i believe the words he used were so there's no there, there. there's no there, there. the trump campaigns, general counsel mat morgan gave similar testimony. he explained that all of the fraud allegations and the campaigns, other election arguments taken together and viewed in the best possible light for president trump could still not change the outcome of the election. president trump's attorney general bill bar also told donald trump his election claims were wrong. peter lee

told the president no uncertain terms. i did not see evidence of fraud. and that would have affected the outcome of the election. and frankly, a year and a half later, i haven't seen anything to change my mind on that attorney general bar also told president trump that his allegations about dominion voting machines were groundless. i saw absolutely 0 basis for the allegations, but they were made in such a sensational way that they obviously were influencing a lot of people. members of the public that there was, is systemic corruption in the system and that their votes didn't count and that these machines controlled by somebody else were actually determining it which was complete nonsense. and it was being laid out there and i told them that it was,

was crazy stuff and they were wasting their time on. and i was doing great grades to service to the country. the president trump persisted, repeating the false dominion allegations in public, at least a dozen more times, even after his attorney general told him they were quote, complete nonsense. and after bars resignation on december 23rd, the acting attorney general who replaced him. jeff frozen and the acting deputy richard donahue told president trump over and over again that the evidence did not support allegations he was making him public. many uh, president trump white house staff, also recognized that the evidence did not support the claims president trump was making. this is the president's daughter commenting on bill bar statement that the department found no fraud sufficient to overturn the election.

how would that affect your perspective about the election when general bar made gusting? it affected my perspective. i respect to attorney general bar. so a accepted what he sent was saying is you were here on monday, the president had every right to litigate his campaign claims, but he ultimately lost more than 60 cases in state and federal courts. the president's claims in the election cases were so frivolous and unsupported that the president's lead lawyer, rudy giuliani, not only lost the law suits his license to practice law was suspended. here is what the court said of mister juliani juliani communicated demonstrably false and misleading statements to corks, lawmakers and the public at large. in his capacity, his lawyer, performer, president, donald j. trump. and the trump campaign in connection with trumps failed effort at

reelection in 2020. as you will see in great detail in our hearings, president trump ignored the rulings of our nation's courts. he ignored his own campaign leadership, his white house staff, many republican state officials ignored the department of justice and the department of homeland security. president trump invested millions of dollars of campaign funds, purposely spreading false information, running ads he knew were false, and convincing millions of americans that the election was corrupt, and that he was the true president. as you will see, this misinformation campaign provoked the violence on january 6th. in our 3rd hearing, you will see that president trauma corruptly planned to replace the attorney general of the united states. so the u. s. justice department would spread his false stolen election claims in the days before january 6th,

president trump told his top justice department officials quote, just say the election was corrupt and leave the rest to me and the republican congressman, senior justice department officials, men, he had appointed, told him, they could not do that because it was not true. so president trump decided to replace them. he offered jeff clark and environmental lawyer at the justice department, the job of acting attorney general president trump wanted mr. clark, to take a number of steps, including sending this letter to georgia and 5 other states saying the u. s. department of justice had quote, identified significant concerns that may have impacted the outcome of the election . this letter is a lie. the department of justice had, in fact, repeatedly told president trump exactly the opposite. that they had investigated

his stolen election allegations and found no credible fraud that could impact the outcome of the election. this letter and others like it would have urged multiple states to withdraw their official and lawful electoral votes for biden, acting deputy attorney general richard donahue, described jeff clark's letter this way. quote, this would be a grave step for the department to take and could have tremendous constitutional political and social ramifications for this country. the committee agrees with mr. donahue, as assessment, had clark assumed the role of attorney general in the days before january 6th and issued these letters the ramifications could indeed have been grave. mr donahue also said this about clark's plan and i recall toward the end saying what your proposal is nothing left in the united states just as important meddling the outcome of a presidential election.