January 8, 2021

Insurrection at the Capitol: Where Do We Go From Here


 

Egged on by President Trump's refusal to accept electoral defeat, rioters breached the Capitol building on January 6th and interrupted the constitutionally required electoral college certification process. As Members of Congress were forced to evacuate, the unfolding violence was described as treason, insurrection, and sedition. In response, proposals invoking the 25th Amendment or implementing impeachment proceedings have been raised. Legally, what do these terms mean? What criminal penalties flow from them? And what can and should be done in response to law enforcement's relative inaction yesterday in the face of the mobs who infiltrated the Capitol Complex as compared to the treatment of Black Lives Matter protesters last year?

Opening Remarks:
Russ Feingold, President, American Constitution Society

Featuring:
Kami Chavis, Professor of Law and Director of the Criminal Justice Program, Wake Forest University School of Law
Stephen Vladeck, Charles Alan Wright Chair in Federal Courts, University of Texas School of Law
Debra Perlin, Director of Policy and Program, American Constitution Society, Moderator