Zeeshan Aleem: The Jan. 6 committee's laser focus on Donald Trump obscured the GOP's role in the attack on the Capitol. Here's why that's a problem in the long run.
on Jan. 6. Ultimately they illustrate that the party had an appetite for trying to thwart a lawful transfer of power eventhe events of Jan. 6 gave them an incentive to downplay the insurrection out of political expediency.Trump wasn’t dealing with obscure lawmakers in the Republican caucus. We know Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, one of the most powerful Republicans in America, wasto make the case against lawfully transferring power to Democrats. We know that Sen.
Were all of these lawmakers playing the same role as Trump, who constantly bombarded his followers with disinformation and gave them the order to “fight like hell” at the Capitol? No. Jan. 6 wouldn’t have unfolded the way it did without Trump fueling the whole manufactured crisis. But his colleagues’ hands were far from clean.
One could argue that the Jan. 6 committee had to choose a strategic focus to make the most impact, and that total focus on establishing the main culprit’s intentions and plans was of chief importance. There’s a strong case to be made for that focus, especially in light of Trump's third presidential bid.
But over the longer run, it would be tragic if this results in the GOP getting off more lightly in our analyses of this historical moment. Guarding against future authoritarian politicians on the right requires understanding that Trump wasn’t at odds with his party — he was working in concert with it. On the right there's a systemic receptivity to authoritarianism, and it won't end with Trump.
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