By Patricia Zengerle

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – The U.S. Congress probe into the Jan. 6th 2021 attack on Capitol by Donald Trump supporters seeking to reverse his defeat in the election enters a new phase with hearings that aim to refocus attention and to identify those responsible.

January 6th, Democratic-led U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee (Democracy) will seek to overturn Republican efforts to downplay and deny violence of today. Five months remain until the November 8 midterm elections which will determine who will control Congress for the next two year.

In a recent interview, Representative Jamie Raskin of the Democratic member of the nine-member panel stated that “This was an organized coup by the president against vice president and against Congress to overturn 2020’s presidential election.”

“We are going to tell you the entire story. Raskin explained that there were a violence insurrection and a attempted coup. We were saved by Mike Pence, then-Vice President.

A panel consisting of seven Democrats, two Republicans and two Democrats has been spending much of the last year investigating and driving the attacks by thousands Trump supporters who stormed into the building to try to block Congress’ formal certification of his 2020 electoral loss to President Joe Biden.

Although the witnesses that it will call for at the Thursday 8 PM hearing have not been announced by committee, ET (0000 GMT June 10), a prominent time slot designed to grab the attention of American citizens. The next two weeks will see five additional hearings.

According to the statement by the committee, hearings “will provide the American people with a summary about its findings concerning the coordinated and multi-step effort in order to reverse the results of 2020’s presidential election result and stop the transfer of power.”

According to Democratic Representative Bennie Thompson (chairperson), “It will consist of exhibits, testimony from staff, and outside witnesses.”

In a country deeply divided, the prospects for success are dim. According to a Washington Post-ABC News poll, only 40% believe that the investigation is fair and impartial. 40% disagree.

Americans simply aren’t paying enough attention. They worry more about inflation and a spate mass shootings that have occurred in the summer than they did 18 months ago.

CLOSED DOORS, SHIFTING NARATIVE

Over 1,000 depositions were conducted by the panel with the assistance of dozens upon investigators. More than 140,000 documents have been collected.

The investigation focused on Trump and his associates’ attempts to make false election claims. Members of the committee believe that America is in peril.

Denver Riggleman (a former Republican congressman and adviser to the committee), said that “people are going to absolutely be surprised how much was known.” It’s clear that President Trump was aware of what was happening when you examine all the evidence.

While some Republicans in Congress condemned Trump immediately after the attack began, most have changed their tone since. Although thousands upon thousands of videos and photographs have been taken, members of Congress refused to co-operate and claimed that the riot occurred.

Republican Representative Andrew Clyde was a key figure in blocking the House’s doors from the mob. Clyde said Trump supporters behaved well and remained calm.

According to the Republican National Committee, the attack was “legitimate political discourse.”

The attack resulted in four deaths, including one victim who was fatally shot by the police and two others who died from natural causes. Over 100 officers sustained injuries, one of whom died shortly thereafter. Later, four officers committed suicide. The Capitol suffered millions in damages.

Trump has been openly flirting about a 2024 White House bid. As she is running for reelection, Trump has criticized Representative Liz Cheney as a Republican vice-chairperson.

Adam Kinzinger (the other Republican member of the panel) is retiring.

In the hours following the riot, every Republican House leader voted for the overturning of 2020 election results. Cheney, who was the daughter and former Vice President Dick Cheney’s wife, was expelled from Republican leadership because she had criticised Trump.

Kevin McCarthy, House Republican Leader, refused to obey a subpoena from the Committee. The committee was invalidated for a number of reasons, including lack of a Republican “ranking” member and too few members.

These June sessions won’t be the committee’s first public hearings. Last July’s panel had one. Police officers were beaten and threatened with racial abuses while they dealt with the most severe attack against the U.S. government for more than 200 years.