I believed Richard Nixon when he spoke to the nation on August 15, 1973 in response to the Watergate Hearings. Listening to the sincerity in his voice, I believed he was an innocent man, caught up in a scandal people under him had started. As a young stay at home mom, I was able to watch most of the hearings. During those hearings person after person began the unraveling of Richard Nixon’s story. Until, a day came, I understood that the president of the United States had misused his office and lied to all of us.

Today, millions of people are caught up in the lies of Donald Trump. His lies have carried an even greater danger, as he insists that the 2020 election was stolen from him. Each of his stories of fraud have been debunked, including those in the documentary, ‘2000 Mules.’ People who were closest to him, working on his campaign, serving in positions within his administration and his own lawyers told him the truth. But, Donald Trump continues to lie.

Why he lies is a question. He certainly has been told the truth by those who investigated his claims of fraud. The January 6th hearings quoted one person after another, who explained how they had told then President Trump the truth. He had lost in a fair election. There was no significant fraud which would change the results. Sixty some court cases were thrown out for lack of evidence, including by judges who were appointed by Donald Trump. Still the lie holds sways over millions of people who believe him and not the courts.

The January 6th Hearings are in the process of uncovering the core truth of what happened on that day in 2021. For some of us, the day was clearly an attack on our democracy. A sitting president, unwilling to relinquish power, incited a mob. Yet, President Trump’s insistence that he won and the election stolen has had a continual influence on another group of people. I see the former president as an accomplished con artist, corrupt at his core, while his followers see him as the hero of their cause.

My hope and prayer is that when the committee has finished its work, we will have a common truth. I pray the investigation will reveal what we need to know, so our nation can heal and we will never again experience the trauma of the January 6th’s day of insurrection. Jesus said, “The Spirit shows what is true and will come and guide you into the full truth.” John 16:13

May the Spirit of Truth guide us to the realities we need to hear and understand.