The U.S. policymakers inquiring about the 6th January deadly riot on the United States Capitol Hill are progressively going public with solemn declarations, court filings, and more to send a blunt message to Merrick Brian Garland, the US Attorney General, and U.S. Justice Department.

Donald Trump, the former US President, and his associates possibly committed wrongdoings, according to Jan. 6 investigators, and now it is up to you to do something about that. And Rep. Elaine Luria of Virginia, a member of the Jan. 6 inquiry panel, prodded: AG Garland, do your job so House Select Committee can do its own.

Moreover, Majority Committee member Adam Schiff, who represents California’s 28th District, echoed that they’re upholding their responsibility; the Justice Department must do the same. Their eloquence, emphasized this week on two criminal contempt of the United States Congress referrals approved by the Select panel, is just a fresh example of the pressure drive the legislators are waging. And it reflects a grim reality that while they could probe the Capitol attack and call for deposition to collect information, only the DOJ could bring criminal charges.

Members of the inquiry panel see the case they’re building against the former US President and his associates as a unique circumstance. But, they say, if it isn’t fully prosecuted, it could set a dangerous example that threatens the foundations of the US democracy. The policymakers seem like almost sure to send a criminal referral to the U.S. Department of Justice once their work is through.

‘do the right thing’

At a press briefing on Friday, Merrick Garland said that the only pressure he feels, the only pressure that their prosecutors feel, is “to do the right thing.” He added that means they follow the facts and abide by the law, where they might lead.

The US Attorney General was questioned about political pressure on the DOJ at the end of a momentous week for the attempts to scrutinize the 2020 Presidential election reversal plot. A US federal judge said Friday that it was more presumably than not that the former President corruptly made efforts to block the Congressional electoral certification vote.

The claim by David Ormon Carter, the Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, came in a document disclosure case related to the January 6th Panel inquiry of the deadly riot. Some Jan. 6 panel members mentioned the ruling late Monday as they requested the agency to prosecute witnesses who are rejecting to cooperate with the Select Committee investigation.

The Justice Department has charged one witness with contempt charges, the former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon, but has yet to bring an indictment against Trump’s White House Chief Mark Meadows, whom Panel referred for criminal prosecution late in 2021.

On Monday, the House panel advanced contempt proceedings for two other ex-advisors to Donald Trump. In addition, it was disclosed later in this week that the criminal probe of the attack by the DOJ had expanded, with investigators now collecting information regarding fundraising and organizing for the political demonstration instantly before followers of Donald Trump stormed the Capitol building as well and the attempt to undermine the Electoral College vote tally.