Former President Donald Trump was indicted late Tuesday afternoon on four felony counts pertaining to his alleged involvement in attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, which led his supporters to storm the Capitol on January 6.
The charges brought against Trump include conspiracy to defraud the government; conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding; conspiracy against the right to vote and to have that vote counted; and obstruction of, and attempt to obstruct and impede, the electoral vote certification.
This indictment is the third criminal case the former president faces amid additional civil litigation. Despite this, Trump is leading in the race toward for the Republican presidential nominee.
In a press release, Trump responded by saying, among other things, that: “This is nothing more than the latest corrupt chapter in the continued pathetic attempt by the Biden Crime Family and their weaponized Department of Justice to interfere with the 2024 Presidential Election, in which President Trump is the undisputed frontrunner, and leading by substantial margins.”
The former president was notified of the Justice Department’s investigation led by special counsel Jack Smith into his and his aides’ efforts to overturn the election results initially in mid-July.
Trump is accused of falsely claiming that the election was stolen, requesting that election officials undo voting results in their respective states, and asking former vice president Mike Pence to stop the certification of electoral votes.
Smith and other prosecutors on the case questioned Pence, top lawyers, and other senior officials from Trump’s former White House administration and election officials in Georgia, Wisconsin and Michigan – among other states.
The former president faces criminal charges in New York and Florida over accusations that he falsified business records to pay off a former adult actress and allegations he illegally possessed classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago residence, respectively.
Trump has used these cases against him to strengthen his voter base, often addressing the public shortly after past indictments were released. He has previously said these cases are nothing more than politically motivated attacks by Democrat prosecutors against him.
The former president is due in court over this indictment on Thursday, August 3, before U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkun. The trial will be held in Washington; however, it has not been scheduled yet.
There is a chance that Trump could face an additional indictment soon as officials are investigating the former president and his aides’ efforts to overturn election results in Fulton County, Georgia.
This was not the only investigation or charges regarding the January 6 insurrection, as criminal probes into individuals brought charges against over 1,000 people involved in the Capitol riot.
Trump will still be able to continue his campaigning efforts and serve if elected president, despite any current or future additional criminal charges against him.
This story will be updated as needed.
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2023.
