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Tim Ryan says anyone guilty of wrongdoing on Jan. 6 should be prosecuted

 US Senate Democratic nominee Tim Ryan speaks to the crowd at a union rally on the steps of the Ohio Statehouse on June 17, 2022.
Daniel Konik
/
Statehouse News Bureau
US Senate Democratic nominee Tim Ryan speaks to the crowd at a union rally on the steps of the Ohio Statehouse on June 17, 2022.

There's been three hearingsso far on the January 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C. and as each one happens, more evidence points to possible wrongdoing by top leaders in the country, including former President Donald Trump.

No criminal charges have been filed against any government official in connection with the attacks but the U.S. Justice Department has asked the committee to turn over its transcripts of depositions by witnesses.

After speaking at an event sponsored by some labor unions in Ohio, U.S. Senate Democratic nominee Tim Ryan was asked about his thoughts on the Jan. 6 committee hearings.

He said he’s hoping anyone who is found guilty of wrongdoing following the hearing will be prosecuted. Ryan said he hoped the committee will get "to the truth" and when it does, find out who was involved and prosecute everybody who committed wrongdoing.

"They need due process. I think President Trump needs due process but if you’ve done something wrong like overturn the election and overturn the government if that’s what was going to happen, you need to be prosecuted,” Ryan said.

Ryan spoke at a rally at the Ohio Statehouse Friday where several union groups, including the Ohio Civil Service Employees Association, gathered to support essential workers.

Ryan was asked whether he is including former President Donald Trump in those prosecutions.

"Hell yeah, yeah," Ryan said. "I mean if you do something in the local community in Ohio, you are going to get prosecuted. I don't think anybody should be above the law."

As the Jan. 6 hearings continue, some Republicans have attempted to change the talking points — through statements and social media outlets — to discuss other issues such as inflation and the baby formula shortage.

Some members of the GOP said they view the bipartisan hearings as a political witch hunt to ultimately go after Trump who has been talking about running for president again in 2024.

Ryan’s opponent, U.S. Senate Republican nominee J.D. Vance, who was endorsed by Trump in the primary, has not said much about the hearings yet.

Vance did not respond to a request for comment on Ryan's statements.

Copyright 2022 The Statehouse News Bureau. To see more, visit The Statehouse News Bureau.

Jo Ingles is a professional journalist who covers politics and Ohio government for the Ohio Public Radio and Television for the Ohio Public Radio and Television Statehouse News Bureau. She reports on issues of importance to Ohioans including education, legislation, politics, and life and death issues such as capital punishment. Jo started her career in Louisville, Kentucky in the mid 80’s when she helped produce a televised presidential debate for ABC News, worked for a creative services company and served as a general assignment report for a commercial radio station. In 1989, she returned back to her native Ohio to work at the WOSU Stations in Columbus where she began a long resume in public radio.