Donald Trump Criminal Referral Might Be Taken 'Seriously,' GOP Fears

A Republican senator admitted he is "afraid" the House January 6 committee "might have some friends in the Justice Department," who will take their criminal referrals against Donald Trump "seriously."

On Monday, the committee, which is investigating the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol and associated efforts to overturn the 2020 election, referred former President Trump to the Department of Justice on four charges.

The charges were: inciting an insurrection, obstruction of Congress, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and conspiracy to make a false statement. The Justice Department is not under any legal obligation to act on the referrals.

North Dakota Senator Kevin Cramer was asked about the referrals by One America News Network on Thursday when the committee published its final report on the Capitol riot.

"I've not seen [the report], nothing surprises me. I think it's their (the committee's) last hurrah, the last day in what they consider the sun, so we'll see what comes of it," Cramer said. "Unfortunately, I'm afraid they may have some friends in the Justice Department who might take it seriously."

Cramer previously served in the House of Representatives, where he was one of the first Republicans to endorse Donald Trump after he announced his presidential bid in 2015.

Hundreds of Trump supporters stormed Congress on January 6, 2021, in an unsuccessful bid to stop the 2020 presidential election results from being certified.

In the ensuing violence, one Trump supporter was shot dead by a police officer, while dozens of police were injured.

Responding to the January 6 committee referrals, Trump said on Truth Social: "These folks don't get it that when they come after me, people who love freedom rally around me. It strengthens me. What doesn't kill me makes me stronger. Americans know that I pushed for 20,000 troops to prevent violence on Jan 6, and that I went on television and told everyone to go home.

"The people understand that the Democratic Bureau of Investigation, the DBI, are out to keep me from running for president because they know I'll win and that this whole business of prosecuting me is just like impeachment was — a partisan attempt to sideline me and the Republican Party."

The full January 6 committee report, published on December 22, concluded: "The central cause of January 6th was one man, former President Donald Trump, who many others followed. None of the events of January 6th would have happened without him."

It added that anyone "engaged in insurrection" can "appropriately be disqualified and barred from holding government office."

Trump responded on Truth Social by labeling the report "highly partisan," and claimed he was the victim of a "WITCH HUNT."

Newsweek reached out to Donald Trump for comment.