(WSIL) -- A political analyst says history won't be kind to former president Donald Trump after the January 6 Committee referred criminal charges against the former Commander in Chief.
John Shaw, director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at SIU, says the chances of Trump facing prison time are rising.
"He may face some very serious criminal allegations, Shaw said. "He may end up in jail."
Among the four charges brought by the committee, aiding an insurrection stands out to Shaw the most.
"Millions and Millions of Americans have lost their lives defending the kind of sanctity of our government," Shaw said. "That an American president would not participate in the peaceful transfer of power and actually would particiapte in and in some sense lead an insurrection is stunning."
Shaw believes the committee did a good job of debunking the narrative that the events on January 6 were a peaceful protest. Shaw believes history, and the future, won't be kind to Trump.
"Even Republicans, many who support President Trump, I think have been shaken by these hearings," Shaw said. "They have seen that the person that they supported, backed an attempt to overthrow the American government."
The criminal referrals by the committee is mostly a symbolic move, Shaw says. The DOJ and Attorney General Merrick Garland have the power to submit charges against Trump.
Shaw believes it will be difficult for Trump to regain his political grab on the GOP and it's something Republicans may have to reckon with ahead of the 2024 election season.
"Even though they're not saying it now, I think more and more Republicans will be very wary of supporting Donald Trump again," Shaw said.
