"The storming of the Capitol is the most visceral evidence the committee will present, but not the most salient, [Committee Member Stephanie] Murphy said.
"While the violence is stunning and probably elicits the strongest emotions because you can see how horrible it is that officers are being beaten," she said, "the scheming, the alternate legal theories, the cultivation of the 'big lie,' the use of social media to gin up anger and undermine the election results — those things are more insidious."
Cheney outlined the topics of the remaining hearings Thursday night: the development of Trump's "big lie" that the election was stolen; Trump's effort to replace Barr in order to use the Justice Department to spread that lie; his sustained campaign to pressure Pence and state officials to overturn the outcome of the election; and more on his role in fomenting the insurrection.
She also broke news that underscored the committee's focus on persuading the Justice Department: Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., and other lawmakers sought pardons from Trump to shield themselves from prosecution over their roles in trying to overturn the election, she said. (A Perry spokesperson called the allegation a "ludicrous and soulless lie.")
For a story published earlier this year, Thompson told NBC News that the evidence gathered in 2021 pointed to Congress formally asking the Justice Department to use its work as the basis for prosecutions.
"The potential for criminal referrals is there," he said.
The question is whether the evidence presented at Thursday's hearing and its sequels will sway the Justice Department to take action against Trump and his allies."
The Jan. 6 committee's evidence spoke for itself. Is the Justice Department listening?
