JULY 15, 2022
Bob Woodward wondered whether the Jan. 6 committee might be proving too far beyond reasonable doubt that Donald Trump committed crimes in his effort to remain in office despite his election loss.
The veteran journalist has written extensively about the former president and revealed much of the evidence the House select committee has uncovered, but he said ultimately the decision whether to charge Trump for his role in the insurrection would be a political one made by the Department of Justice.
“I think the evidence is absolutely overwhelming,” Woodward said. “If I may say this, the Jan. 6 committee runs the risk of arguing for something that is really already proven. This is a political decision. The Justice Department and the administration, and a political decision by voters. Some have said, and I think this really is the summary moment, a way to summarize the moment right now, that 50 percent of the Republicans are devoted, will run off the cliff for Trump — they’re in — 20 percent want to push him off the cliff, and I think that number is growing.”
“Republicans, just like Democrats, want to win, and I think the status of Trump politically and of Biden politically is much more wobbly than people think,” he added. “They’ve got to find new candidates. The polling shows this. People want to look to the future, not to the past. I really feel Trump has lost that argument that the election was stolen.”
