Commentary: Could Donald Trumps potential Capitol attack crimes hurt his political future?

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According to Hutchinson, Trump knew that his supporters were armed on Jan 6 as he engaged in fiery speech that incited the crowd to march to the Capitol.

Testimony before the House committee on Jul 12, focused on Trumps coordination with far-right militias to interrupt Congress Electoral College vote count. There is also new evidence about potential crimes committed after Trump left office, including witness tampering, obstruction of justice and other offenses often alleged against organized crime groups.

And if thats not enough, vice chair Liz Cheney ended the days televised Jan 6 committee hearings on July 12 with yet another cliffhanger: Trump tried to contact an unnamed committee witness. Cheney said the committee referred the incident to the Department of Justice.

Of course, TV viewers cannot presume that the testimony and evidence presented during the hearings would be the same testimony and evidence presented in a criminal trial.

For one, different rules for evidence apply, and witnesses such as Hutchinson would be subject to cross-examination. Her testimony regarding the actions of former White House counsel Pat Cipollone requires confirmation from their source, whom the committee finally heard from behind closed doors on Jul 8.

THE MORE ATTRACTIVE REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE FOR 2024?

There are emerging signs that the hearings are damaging Trumps political future, making him a less attractive GOP presidential nominee for 2024.

This is especially in light of the ascendance of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, whose star is rising as Trumps falls. Several polls show that DeSantis is a credible substitute for Trump among his supporters.

Consider the Granite State Poll, run by the University of New Hampshire. In July 2021, Trump led DeSantis 47 percent to 19 percent. In October 2021, Trump led 43 percent to 18 percent.

But in a poll conducted Jun 16 to Jun 20, DeSantis now leads with 39 per cent compared with Trump at 37 per cent. Meanwhile, a national poll conducted by Morning Consult/Politico between Jun 24 and Jun 26 shows that DeSantis has increased his support among Republicans by 38 per cent.

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