Adam Kinzinger fears for the 'future of the country' if Trump isn't charged over Jan. 6

Outgoing Congressman Adam Kinzinger said he believes the US Department of Justice will 'do the right thing' and charge former President Donald Trump and if they don't he fears 'for the future of this country.'

Kinzinger, frequently an outspoken Republican critic of Trump who retired from Congress ahead of the midterms, believes the committee's 18-month investigation merits criminal charges. 

'If this is not a crime, I don't know what is,' he said. 'If a president can incite an insurrection and not be held accountable, then really there's no limit to what a president can do or can't do.'

Kinzinger was a member of the committee, which made criminal referrals for Trump to the Justice Department as it concluded its investigation into the Capitol attack two years ago.

Outgoing Congressman Adam Kinzinger said he believes the US Department of Justice will 'do the right thing' and charge former President Donald Trump and if they don't he fears 'for the future of this country'

Kinzinger believes 'the Justice Department will do the right thing. I think he will be charged, and I frankly think he should be.'

He told CNN that if Trump isn't charged, 'then I frankly fear for the future of this country, because now every future president of this country can say here's the bar — do everything you can to stay in power.' 

The Illinois Congressman was one of the two Republicans sitting on the committee, which is set to be dissolved as the GOP takes power in the House of Representatives. 

Trump didn't appear to directly respond but did post a list of 'People President Trump Strongly Opposed and Fought Against' on Truth Social Sunday. 

His list showed Kinzinger and several other anti-Trump Republicans - including fellow committee member Liz Cheney - as having either retired or been defeated. 

Kinzinger isn't alone among Republicans believing Trump, who considers the committee a 'witch hunt,' should face consequences over the January 6 Capitol riot.

Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson said he will do everything in his power to try and keep Donald Trump from becoming president again.

The GOP governor thinks that Trump's actions on January 6, 2021 'disqualify' him from running for office in the future.

Hutchinson has been rumored to be considering a run for office himself, but has refused to directly give an answer despite the exponential increase of media appearances over the last year – especially considering his as an anti-Trump Republican.

'I'm going to do everything that we can to make sure there's alternatives, that he is not the nominee,' Hutchinson told ABC's This Week on Sunday morning.

'And, of course, that all depends upon who else is out there,' he added.

The Illinois Congressman was one of the two Republicans sitting on the committee, which is set to be dissolved as the GOP takes power in the House of Representatives

Trump didn't appear to directly respond but did post a list of 'People President Trump Strongly Opposed and Fought Against' on Truth Social Sunday

Arkansas GOP Governor Asa Hutchinson said he would do 'everything I can' to make sure Donald Trump doesn't win the presidency in 2024

Hutchinson, however, wouldn't commit to ABC host Jonathan Karl on not supporting Trump in 2024 'no matter what' if he were to become the Republican nominee next year.

'I want to see what the alternatives are,' Hutchinson said. 'And it's premature to get into what might happen in 2024. That issue will come up.'

'But I want to see everything I can do to make sure there is the alternative, and that Donald Trump is not the nominee of the party. That's the first thing. And let's figure out how to do that.'

Trump defiantly slapped down the January 6 House select committee's decision to make criminal referrals to the Department of Justice, following last Monday's never-before-seen damning testimony from ex-aide Hope Hicks.  

'These folks don't get it that when they come after me, people who love freedom rally around me. It strengthens me. What doesn’t kill me makes me stronger,' Trump said Monday evening on Truth Social, labeling the post in all caps: 'STATEMENT ON JAN 6 COMMITTEE REFERRAL.'

Earlier Monday, the Democrat-led January 6 House select committee unanimously decided to refer Trump to the Justice Department on four criminal charges. No other president has been the subject of a criminal referral by Congress.  

Trump, who already announced his 2024 White House bid, hit back that Monday night, suggesting the move was politically motivated.  

'The people understand that the Democratic Bureau of Investigation, the DBI, are out to keep me from running for president because they know I'll win and that this whole business of prosecuting me is just like impeachment was - a partisan attempt to sideline me and the Republican Party,' he said. 

No US president has been the subject of a criminal referral by Congress until now.