After 16 months of investigation, the January 6 committee recommended four separate charges for former president Donald Trump and his associates, writes BBC.

While these referrals do not carry legal weight, the justice department may consider the House panel’s recommendations as part of their own inquiry into Mr Trump’s actions after the 2020 election.

The charging recommendations under consideration of obstruction of an official proceeding and conspiracy to defraud the federal government match allegations the select committee made against Trump and his elections attorney John Eastman in a previous court proceeding seeking Eastman’s emails. A judge had agreed with the House, finding it could access Eastman’s emails about his 2020 election work for Trump because the pair was likely planning to defraud the US and engaging in a conspiracy to obstruct Congress, according to that court proceeding.

The Guardian was first to report on the committee’s consideration of the charges.