Roundtable: How important are hearings about the Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol?

What importance do you place on the House select committee’s investigation and hearings regarding the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol?

Shows how insurrection threatens our democracy

Despite the temptation to dismiss it as political theater, as many Republicans claim (and as, frankly, it partly is), there’s no denying that the investigation is showing in compelling detail how deeply the Jan. 6 insurrection and Trump’s role in it threaten the future of our constitutional democracy. The insurrection was a violent armed invasion of the Capitol with the explicit goal of preventing the certification of Electoral College votes for President Biden, as well as threatening the lives of Vice President Pence and Speaker Pelosi. Far from simply a protest march, the investigation has identified the organized extremist groups determined to stop the orderly transfer of presidential authority. And behind that violent attempt, the investigation is revealing the hand of a president determined to cling to power by any means necessary, including baseless court challenges, suborning of state officials, non-stop lies, and incitement, assisted by a cabal of unprincipled extremists and opportunist members of Congress placing party above country. The tragedy that makes me weep is that, while all this is clear as day, it will likely make no difference to half the country.  And by ignoring, denying and excusing this attempted presidential coup, the country is placing in peril American democracy and the rule of law. — David Amor

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Trump's statements false, but didn't incite riot

Please tell me what new information these hearings have produced.

Trump did not win the 2020 election. Whatever irregularities there were had no effect on the outcome. Trump’s statements to the contrary are just what Bill Barr called them.

Trump’s statements to the crowd on Jan. 6 were false but they did not incite a riot. The people that stormed the capitol are criminals and should be punished.

We knew all of that before the made-for-TV production that the Democrats have been staging. I don’t blame the Democrats for trying to make this a political show. That’s what they do in Washington.

I do blame the networks for pretending that anything newsworthy came out of this dog and pony show. The whole thing is political theater and an attempt to distract Americans from the absolute mess that Biden and his party have created. I’m not watching a minute of it. — Harry Bulkeley

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Hearings will create clear historical record of what happened

Donald Trump was told repeatedly by top Justice Department officials and members of his inner circle that he had not won the 2020 election, as video coverage of their testimony shows. Former Attorney General William Barr described to the committee a series of meetings with the former president in which he (Barr) argued against Mr. Trump’s claims of widespread voter fraud, saying “I thought, boy, if he really believes this stuff, he has become detached from reality," and that Mr Trump seemed to have no interest in the actual facts.

Barr’s successor, former acting attorney general Jeffrey Rosen, also testified that he had told the former president his claims of election fraud were unjustified, saying to him “You’re getting bad information." Because of the House select committee there will be a  clear historical record with testimony under oath describing what happened in the White House from the night of the election in November, through the plotting to prevent the peaceful transfer of power, to the seditious Jan. 6 attack on the United States Capitol. — Laurie Muelder

Shows how a Congressional investigation can be rigged

Democrats have tried to nail Trump before Trump may or may not be guilty of “inciting insurrection” but the conclusion of the hearings is already known.

The importance, if you listen with an open mind, will show how a Congressional investigation and hearing can be rigged. Look at the makeup of the committee. There is not a single Republican on it and most of the Democrats have had their minds made up since before he was elected. Fairness and justice will be set aside and only hate and vengeance against Trump will remain. Witnesses and evidence will be “cherry-picked” to reveal only what Democrats want to be heard.

Trump embarrassed the Democrats by not agreeing to concede if the race was close. When Clinton lost it was she who refused to concede! Trump embarrassed them again after each impeachment.

Remember Russian Collusion? Not Trump but Clinton who sold rights to US uranium to Russia.  — Charlie Gruner

Editor's Note: Two Republicans sit on the select committee.

Committee uncovering damning evidence about key players

The evidence presented so far has revealed what happened on Jan. 6, was much more than some rowdy MAGA supporters who breached the Capitol Building. The Jan. 6 Committee is uncovering damning evidence about the key players and their roles in this. It appears Trump loyalists in Congress may have directly assisted with the failed coup attempt. The Capitol building insurrection can't be a practice run for future coup attempts. History demands the truth is investigated and exposed.

The American public deserves to know the truth if the former president concocted a scheme to destroy one of the hallmarks of our system of government, the peaceful transfer of power. Part of what we witnessed that day was a demonstration of perceived entitled white supremacy.  Let's be honest, had the so-called "rioters" been Black, there would be no stone unturned to prosecute those involved Ironically, alleged participant Ginni Thomas, wife of SCOTUS Justice Clarence Thomas, will now be afforded secret service protection from the very government she may have tried to overthrow. — John Hunigan

More: Previous Roundtable: What Jan. 6 questions need answers?

Testimony hasn't proven planning behind the violence

Not much, unless you believe that it was an “insurrection” instead of a riot. If there was planning behind the violence or any leadership of the mob, the testimony didn’t prove it. Dishonestly edited quotations throw doubt on the whole procedure.

Those of us who remember Watergate will never forget the drama and the larger than life personalities (especially Judge Sirica and Sam Erwin). That came about because all sides were represented and articulate. As a result, the outcome wasn’t clear until the tapes came out. Pelosi appointed nobody who might ask pointed questions or object. The resulting Kangaroo Court made for much less compelling television.

Joe Biden’s approval ratings are unlikely to go lower than the number of yellow-dog Democrats and progressives, but there still should have been more viewers than tuned in. Maybe we already know that Democrats (and some Republicans) don’t want Trump to run in 2024. — William Urban

Investigative hearings could create potential for trials

I have to remind social media newshounds that this is an investigative committee and not a trial. That point seems to be lost on the wanna’ be sleuths that espouse that the Jan. 6 capital invasion participants were “peaceful patriots.” After this is over there is a potential for trials. Article 1 of the Constitution gives Congress the right to conduct these hearings. These hearings are important. As these hearings continue there will be more revelations.

I noted that new bits of information have dropped but will be ignored by Trumpian sycophants. I get it. The constant state of Republican denial on some of the more obvious truths are being washed downstream like a Yellowstone 500-year flood. I also know that many will say this is political grandstanding and merely an orchestrated, one-sided event. Kevin McCarthy bowed out of having five republicans on this committee. He wanted this committee to cast a very wide net on the entire nation. That net was to include the 2020 summer protests and more. In short, he wanted to dilute any findings to further obfuscate any truths that would be detrimental to him, the Republican party and Trump. This Jan. 6 committee was patterned after the 911 committee investigation as an appeasement to McCarthy. McCarthy at one point was asked if he would participate if subpoenaed. “Sure” was his response. I wonder what happened to that “sure?"  — Stephen Podwojski

The Community Roundtable runs each Sunday and is made up of local writers. Community writers answer one question each week in 150 words or fewer. 

This article originally appeared on Galesburg Register-Mail: Are hearings about Jan. 6 insurrection, riots at US Capitol important?