WS Chronicle

By Dr. James B. Ewers Jr.

Christmas time is approaching and we are checking the naughty and nice list to see where we are.

It is a special season where we especially practice kindness, humility and forgiveness. This year as it comes to a close has been marked and marred by political strife and turmoil. Midterm elections were unpredictable, suspenseful and stressful too, depending upon your candidate and whether they won or lost.

The Senate seat in Georgia was won in a runoff by Democratic incumbent Raphael Warnock as he defeated Republican challenger Herschel Walker. The Democrats now have control of the Senate, which helps President Joe Biden with judicial appointments. They narrowly lost control of the House of Representatives, so we will see what happens there.

The January 6th Committee is coming to an end. It started on July 1, 2021. Most pundits thought the committee was a waste of time and would be of no benefit to the American people. However, I believe some of those same people are eating crow now, as the old expression goes.

Washington Post media columnist Margaret Sullivan said, “The hearings have been riveting to watch and even more remarkably, they have captured the daily news cycle again and again.”

During each of its eight sessions, we the people learned more about the January 6th insurrection. The former president’s appointees and staff came forward and testified about his involvement in this history-making event.

It is my opinion that their sense of being a patriot “trumped” their allegiance to him. Others might say they were simply afraid of going to jail and that love of country had nothing to do with it.

The January 6th Committee will hold its last meeting next week and release their report to the American people as well. Reports say they will share documents that will incriminate the former president. The mountain of evidence was building against him as each hearing was held.

It was reported by CNN that the January 6th Committee is expected to announce referral of criminal charges to the Department of Justice against Donald Trump, including insurrection.

There are a few issues that are on the table for us to consider. This is my opinion. If the charges against him are acted upon by the Department of Justice (DOJ), what will happen to the former president? A direct question is will he will go to jail for the crimes he has allegedly committed?

My thinking is that as guilty as we know he is, that he will not go to jail. The legal wranglings and delays will prevent him from serving any time for his criminal activities.

How will the DOJ prosecution affect his presidential bid in 2024? Maybe it won’t. We will see.

Do Republicans want a sordid and stained candidate running for office? I hope not. Not even the most loyal Trumpers want a crook representing them.

The January 6th Committee will be dissolved and will go down in history as an important component of our democracy. Some will have a different view about the Committee’s contributions and findings. The truth, even when you put it in front of them, will not be accepted.

We can only hope that we as Americans have learned a valuable lesson.

Elected officials no matter their position or title are going to be held accountable by we the voters. 

The January 6th Committee will leave behind a body of work that all of us will be able to read and to review over time. Wrongdoing and corrupt activities under the false guise of the Constitution and the flag will always be found out to be wrong and corrupt.

The January 6th Committee was our safeguard for right and for truth.

James B. Ewers Jr., Ed.D., is a former tennis champion at Atkins High School in Winston-Salem and played college tennis at Johnson C. Smith University, where he was all-conference for four years. He is a retired college administrator. He can be reached at overtimefergie.2020@yahoo.com.