Something Big Before The Election

What was then-President Donald Trump doing for 187 minutes during the violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, when some in the crowd were chanting “hang Mike Pence”? The Jan. 6 Select Committee sought answers to that question. Watch Pt. 12 of “Democracy on Trial.”

In “Democracy on Trial,” published here as a series of short docs, FRONTLINE investigates the roots of the federal criminal case against former President Donald Trump stemming from his 2020 election loss. The investigation traces the road to this unprecedented moment, and examines the implications of the historic criminal case unfolding in the midst of a presidential election year. Drawing on court documents and revelatory interviews with elected officials, former government lawyers, House Select Committee witnesses and former committee staffers, authors and journalists, “Democracy on Trial”reports that the work of the House Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol attack provided the groundwork for special counsel Jack Smith’s indictment of Trump and may offer insights into how the trial unfolds.

“Democracy on Trial” chronicles how the committee built its case against Trump and tried to prove his intent, how it chose to present its case to the American public, and criticisms of its work. The documentary also examines how Trump has challenged the case. Trump has pleaded not guilty and made the legal argument, now being reviewed by an appellate court, that he has “absolute immunity” from prosecution for his actions while in office.

“Democracy on Trial” is a FRONTLINE production with the Kirk Documentary Group. The director is Michael Kirk. The producers are Michael Kirk, Mike Wiser and Vanessa Fica. The writers are Michael Kirk and Mike Wiser. The reporters are Vanessa Fica and Brooke Nelson Alexander. The editor-in-chief and executive producer of FRONTLINE is Raney Aronson-Rath.