Jan 11, 2021
Former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich explains why it’s imperative to hold accountable the people who incited and abetted the violent coup attempt.
Donald Trump’s culpability is beyond dispute. He should be impeached, convicted, and removed from office – immediately. And he should be barred from ever seeking office again. But the president is not the only person who must be held accountable for his role in sparking the violent insurrection. Trump’s accomplices on Capitol Hill, most notably Senators Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley, who spread Trump’s baseless allegations of voting fraud; social media giants Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube who amplified every one of Trump’s lies and hateful rants for years; and business leaders who enthusiastically bankrolled Trump’s re-election campaign — all are part of the ecosystem that led to Trump’s sedition, and all must answer for the part they played. Make no mistake: Unless all who participated in or abetted the attempted overthrow of the United States government are held accountable, it will happen again. Next time it may succeed.
