1、CRS Legal Sidebar Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress Legal SidebarLegal Sidebari i Capitol Unrest, Legislative Response, and the Bill of Attainder Clause January 22, 2021 On January 6, 2021, a crowd gathered on the U.S. Capitol grounds, breached police barriers, entered and occupied por
2、tions of the Capitol building, and clashed with law enforcement. The incident resulted in at least five deaths, dozens of injuries, and damage to federal property. Members of Congress and the Vice President, who were counting electoral votes for the 2020 presidential election, were forced to evacuat
3、e in response to the unrest. Following the incident, some Members of Congress and other commentators have called for accountability for the individuals directly involved in the incident, as well as for others, potentially including elected officials, who may have incited or supported the unrest. Man
4、y of those calls for accountability raise complex legal issues. As a recent CRS Legal Sidebar explains, the incident may implicate numerous provisions of existing criminal law. In addition, on January 13, 2021, the House of Representatives impeached President Donald Trump for incitement of insurrect