House Jan. 6 Committee to Issue Criminal Referrals

WASHINGTON — The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol will issue criminal referrals to the Justice Department based on its inquiry, the panel’s chairman said on Tuesday.

Representative Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, the Democratic chairman of the committee, told reporters on Capitol Hill that the panel had agreed to take the step, but had not agreed on who would be the subject of the referrals.

A subcommittee of four lawyers on the committee — Representatives Liz Cheney, Republican of Wyoming; Jamie Raskin, Democrat of Maryland; Zoe Lofgren, Democrat of California; and Adam B. Schiff, Democrat of California — has studied whether to issue criminal referrals to the Justice Department for former President Donald J. Trump and some of his top allies.

Among the recommended charges they have considered are conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstruction of an official proceeding of Congress.

The committee’s lawmakers are meeting again on Tuesday to discuss next steps.

Emily Cochrane contributed reporting.