Jan. 6 panel: Criminal referrals for Trump

Laura L. Davis, USA TODAY
·5 min read
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The House Jan. 6 committee urged the Justice Department to criminally charge former President Donald Trump over the U.S. Capitol attack. Federal officials issued a national safety alert, citing an explosion of "child sextortion" cases. And that cute puppy for sale online could be a scam.

👋 Happy Monday! I'm Laura Davis, and it's time for the news.

But first: Add giraffe and zebra bones to the list of things you can't fly home with from Kenya.

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Jan. 6 committee recommends DOJ prosecute Donald Trump

The House Jan. 6 committee urged the Justice Department on Monday to bring criminal charges against Donald Trump related to the violent 2021 Capitol insurrection. The panel also released its long-awaited final report, which unveiled never-before-seen details of Trump's attempt to hold on to power after losing the 2020 election and named the former president as the "central cause" of the attack on the Capitol.

What you need to know:

  • The accusations: In referring the case to the Justice Department, the committee accused Trump of violating laws governing obstruction of Congress, inciting an insurrection, conspiring to defraud the U.S., and conspiring to make a false statement.

  • More investigations: The panel also recommended the House Ethics Committee investigate four Republican lawmakers – including Kevin McCarthy, the potential next House speaker – for defying the committee's subpoenas.

  • What they said: Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., said Trump should not be allowed to serve as president again, adding that "a guarantee of a peaceful transfer of power” is at the heart of the republic.

👉 Our coverage: Recap of today's Jan. 6 panel hearing.

The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol holds its final meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday, Dec. 19, 2022.
The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol holds its final meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday, Dec. 19, 2022.

Big winter snowstorm, cold temps could disrupt Christmas travel

It might sound like last week's news, but it's going to be a lot colder this time around. Bitterly cold temperatures and a significant winter snowstorm could threaten holiday travel plans for millions across the U.S. from the Plains to the Eastern Seaboard, forecasters said. The U.S. may experience “the coldest air of the season” as a strong arctic front marches across the eastern two-thirds of the country days before Christmas, according to the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center. Here's what to know about the frigid week ahead.

A crew helps clean up a crash along Route 30 in Jamaica, Vermont, during a snowstorm on Friday, Dec. 16, 2022. More snow and frigid temperatures are in store for large swaths of the U.S. this week.
A crew helps clean up a crash along Route 30 in Jamaica, Vermont, during a snowstorm on Friday, Dec. 16, 2022. More snow and frigid temperatures are in store for large swaths of the U.S. this week.

What everyone's talking about

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Feds: Scores of kids being 'sexploited' online

Citing an "explosion" of online sextortion cases involving children, federal authorities issued an unusual national public safety alert Monday in an attempt to intervene in increasingly aggressive schemes linked to more than a dozen suicides in the past year. At least 3,000 victims, primarily boys, have been identified as targets in operations largely originating outside the U.S. in which children are being coerced into sending explicit images online and then extorted for money. Federal officials said the incidents occur on a variety of online platforms, from gaming and social media sites to chatrooms. Predators are often using fake female accounts to target boys ages 14 to 17 – and some victims are as young as 10, the FBI said. Keep reading.

"Victims may feel like there is no way out," FBI Director Christopher Wray said. "It is up to all of us to reassure them that they are not in trouble, there is hope, and they are not alone."
"Victims may feel like there is no way out," FBI Director Christopher Wray said. "It is up to all of us to reassure them that they are not in trouble, there is hope, and they are not alone."

It was a good year for medical science breakthroughs

When COVID-19 arrived in the United States, it was all hands on deck. The country’s brightest scientific minds dropped whatever they were doing to join the effort, developing novel vaccines and treatments in record time. In 2022, researchers had time to resume projects they put on hold, and the USA TODAY health team has spent the year reporting on novel procedures, medical discoveries, and advances in disease prevention and treatment. Some pretty cool stuff happened: Scientists completed the map of our DNA. The FDA approved the first new ALS drug in five years. And we reached major milestones in organ transplantation. Read about some of the biggest medical breakthroughs of 2022 – plus a preview of what's in store for 2023.

"Hooray for medical breakthroughs!" – the people in the photo, maybe.
"Hooray for medical breakthroughs!" – the people in the photo, maybe.

Real quick

🌤 What's the weather up to at your house? Check your local forecast.

How much is that doggy in the window? It might be a scam.

"He's attentive, lovable & gives kisses," the puppy seller said in an email. With immediate payment, the brown-and-white boxer puppy named Gemma could be delivered to a new home that very night. But before the day was done, a Michigan woman was out hundreds of dollars – and no "Gemma" to show for it. Scammers know puppies really tug on the heartstrings, and it's a warning worth sharing again during the holiday season as many people shop online for pets. An online seller might amazingly have a litter of puppies available just in time for Christmas. But if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Here's how the scam works.

A woman from Vassar, Michigan, said she lost $755 in a puppy scam when trying to buy a boxer. The email shows a puppy called "Gemma."
A woman from Vassar, Michigan, said she lost $755 in a puppy scam when trying to buy a boxer. The email shows a puppy called "Gemma."

A break from the news

Laura L. Davis is an Audience Editor at USA TODAY. Send her an email at laura@usatoday.com or follow along with her adventures – and misadventures – on Twitter. Support quality journalism like this? Subscribe to USA TODAY here.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Monday's news: Jan. 6 committee hearing, Christmas snowstorm, kids 'sexploited', online puppy scam.