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Last January, thousands of rioters attacked American police and smashed their way into the US Congress in Washington in an attempt to overturn the US presidential election.

Congress itself has set up a hearing to investigate what's been called an insurrection. Thursday was its first day - with video images and testimony of those moments played to a packed house and to a prime time TV audience.

One question loomed above the others - was Donald Trump guilty of orchestrating this attempt to overthrow democracy?

The committee is Democrat-led, but it's vice-chair is a Republican, Liz Cheney. She began by saying she was now convinced that President Trump had not only summoned the mob that day, but lit the flame of violent unrest, and then failed to intervene to stop his supporters.

Newsday spoke to Robert Reich. He's a former cabinet secretary under President Bill Clinton and now a political commentator and Professor of Public Policy at UC Berkeley.

(People gather to watch the hearing of the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol on June 09, 2022 in Washington, DC. Credit: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

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