Trump rips Jan. 6 panel findings as a ruse to block him from 2024 presidential run

Former President Donald Trump has denounced new findings by a Democrat-led panel investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol, calling it an effort to block him from running for the White House in 2024.

The Jan. 6 committee accused Mr. Trump in a new court filing of engaging in “a criminal conspiracy … to defraud the United States by interfering in the election certification process.”

Mr. Trump rejected the charge in a lengthy statement Thursday, arguing the conspiracy to defraud the United States was committed by the Democratic Party, who he said rigged the election in favor of President Biden, and by the media, who he said covered up the scheme. 

“The Unselect Committee’s sole goal is to try to prevent President Trump, who is leading by large margins in every poll, from running again for president, if I so choose,” Mr. Trump said. “By so doing they are destroying democracy as we know it.”

Mr. Trump, his former White House aides and other Republicans are under scrutiny by the Jan. 6 panel. The committee has issued interview requests and subpoenas to compel people to testify and provide emails, phone records and other documents. Panel members believe it will shed light on the role Mr. Trump and the other GOP lawmakers and operatives played in inciting the riot.

Mr. Trump continues to argue election irregularities and fraud cost him the race.

In his statement, he cited a new report by a specially appointed investigator in Wisconsin who found evidence of fraud among nursing homes. In many facilities, 100% of registered voters cast a ballot, according to the report. 

In other states, mismatched signatures, illegal ballot harvesting and other irregularities tainted the election results, Mr. Trump said.

He also attacked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat who hand-picked the Jan. 6 panel members. Mrs. Pelosi, he said, rejected his offer to provide more than 10,000 troops to patrol the U.S. Capitol ahead of January 6.

“The reason for January 6th was that millions of people in our Country know the Election was Rigged and Stolen, and Nancy Pelosi refused to put the requested 10,000+ troops in the Capitol three days earlier, as strongly recommended by me,” Mr. Trump said. “She didn’t like ‘the look.’”