Why the January 6 revelations about Trump are so utterly shocking

It’s important to remember these events weren’t just an attack on the Republic but destroyed the lives of everyday Americans, writes Andrew Buncombe

What we have heard so far suggests that Trump very cynically did everything in his power to overturn the election (Getty)

Have you been watching? You probably have. If you haven’t seen all of the hearings of the House committee investigating the 6 January 2021 attack on the US Capitol, then you may have seen some of the highlights – more truthfully the “lowlights” – of this wretched, disturbing episode in America’s recent history.

At times, I’ve watched the hearings of what is officially called the “National Commission to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the United States Capitol Complex” with the volume turned down. Our staff in Washington DC have been covering them very much with the volume turned up, frequently from inside the chamber, for the proceedings overseen by Democratic chair Bennie Thompson and Republican vice-chair Liz Cheney.

The GOP congresswoman from Wyoming has been at the top of Donald Trump’s list of most hated people since she said his words and deeds had incited the attacks and that he should be held accountable. She voted to impeach him – one of just ten Republicans in the House who dared to do so – which led Trump to back a primary challenger to her. He did the same with others who had voted for his impeachment.