Former President Trump accused of ’attempted coup’

The congressional committee investigating the attack on the U.S. Capitol by Donald Trump's supporters trying to overturn his 2020 election defeat presented testimony on Thursday showing that close allies - even his daughter - rejected his false claims of voting fraud.  

It also showed part of Trump's incendiary speech before the attack in which he repeated false election fraud claims and directed his supporters' anger at Vice President Mike Pence, who was at the Capitol overseeing congressional certification of Democrat Joe Biden's election win - a process the riot failed to prevent.  

The U.S. House of Representatives select committee probing the Jan. 6, 2021 assault, showed graphic footage of thousands of rioters attacking police and smashing their way into the Capitol.   

It was the first of six planned hearings intended to show that the Republican former president conspired to unlawfully hold onto power.  

Some congressional Republicans in the days after the attack condemned Trump, but most have since changed their tune, supporting him and downplaying the day's violence. Trump himself has gone after Republicans who voted to impeach him for his actions, backing primary challengers to them ahead of the Nov. 8 midterm elections that will determine control of Congress for the following two years.  

 Attorney General Barr in videotaped testimony said: "I made it clear I did not agree with the idea of saying the election was stolen and putting out this stuff, which I call the bullshit. And, you know, I didn't want to be a part of it."  
-WASHINGTON, (Reuters) 
10 June 2022