Letter to the editor: All involved in Jan. 6 attack should be tried

We just marked the second anniversary of the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol meant by many to disrupt constitutional processes for the transfer of presidential power.

A large number of the mob proudly proclaimed that they were going to hang Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Vice President Mike Pence, and many actively sought other members of Congress to do them harm.

Disrupting government processes by violence is one of the goals of terrorism. Seeking to do harm or to kill others isn’t just a frolic, it is public lynching and conspiracy to murder. The willful violation of the third section of the 14th Amendment is also to be considered and enforced.

Just jailing some of the mob for a few months isn’t sufficient for justice. Anyone who participated in the planning, actions or cover-up should be indicted and tried for these crimes.

RICO statutes were enacted ostensibly to provide methods by which bosses and planners in corrupt organizations could be prosecuted as well as those following their orders. RICO, anti-lynching and anti-terror Laws and the 14th Amendment should be used to bring all of these alleged insurrectionists to trial.

Further, I believe that all public officials should publicly denounce and revile the actions of any who participated in any way in the attack or any attempt to cover up any part of its orchestration.

If these public officials can’t bring themselves to do this, then they should have the common decency to resign their office. But that would presuppose they have common decency.

Bud Santimyer

Scottdale