The potential trouble with Jan. 6 defendant prosecutions

To “obstruct [an] official proceeding” is a relatively new crime, part of a statute in a 2002 law related to corporate criminal activities. Among many other things, Congress strengthened the sentencing guidelines for obstructing justice and destroying evidence in an investigation. Within that law, they said impeding “any official proceeding” could be punishable by up to 20 years in prison. (“Whoever corruptly … obstructs, influences, or impedes any official proceeding, or attempts to do so.”)