Columbia Standard

U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin has issued a statement in response to the report by former Special Counsel Jack Smith regarding then-President Donald Trump's actions following the 2020 presidential election. The report addresses Trump's efforts to interfere with the lawful transfer of power and the certification of the Electoral College vote on January 6, 2021.

Durbin commented, "The former Special Counsel’s report shows the American people just how close we came to a constitutional crisis by detailing President Trump’s ‘criminal efforts to retain power’ and subvert the 2020 election." He emphasized that such alleged or proven crimes by a public official are of significant gravity. Durbin further stated, "Moving forward, each generation of Americans has a responsibility to work to preserve our republic."

In October 2021, after an eight-month investigation, the Senate Judiciary Committee released testimony and a staff report titled “Subverting Justice: How the Former President and his Allies Pressured DOJ to Overturn the 2020 Election.” This report highlighted threats posed by Trump and his allies toward taking control of the Department of Justice post-election. It also described how Jeffrey Clark, former Acting Civil Division Assistant Attorney General, pressured DOJ colleagues in an attempt to overturn the election results.

Recently, Durbin led Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats in urging Attorney General Merrick Garland to preserve all materials related to investigations conducted by Jack Smith and Congress into Trump's actions.