What Trump’s criminal referral means and what's next

The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol voted Dec. 19 to send to Justice Department prosecutors a recommendation that former president Donald Trump be charged with four crimes: inciting or assisting an insurrection, obstruction of an official proceeding of Congress, conspiracy to defraud the United States and conspiracy to make a false statement. The move has no legal weight, but marks the first time Congress has made such a referral for a former president.