Trump indicted over efforts to overturn his 2020 election defeat
It is the third time this year that the former US Prez has been criminally charged ahead of 2024 White House bid
Donald Trump has been indicted on four counts by a federal grand jury for plotting to overturn his 2020 election defeat, the third time this year the former US president has been criminally charged as he seeks to retake the White House in 2024.
The 45-page indictment was filed by Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith after the grand jury heard months of testimony from some of Trump’s closest associates of how Trump tried to overturn his loss to Democrat Joe Biden, who became the U.S. president in January 2021. Trump, 77, was charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States, witness tampering, conspiracy against the rights of citizens, and obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding.
These charges relate to Trump’s actions over a period of more than two months from soon after election day (November 3) until the day he left the White House on 20 January 20.
The plot to overturn the 2020 election culminated in an unprecedented physical assault by Trump’s supporters on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, as Congress met to certify Biden’s victory.
“Despite having lost, the defendant was determined to remain in power. So for more than two months following election day on November 3, 2020, the defendant spread lies that there had been outcome-determinative fraud in the election and that he had actually won. These claims were false, and the defendant knew that they were false,” the indictment reads.
Trump in a statement to his supporters said that he did nothing wrong and the charges against him were politically motivated. Trump has rejected any suggestion he was in the wrong after the 2020 election.
The indictment was issued by a grand jury of citizens in the District of Columbia and sets forth the crimes charged in detail. It caps an inquiry into events surrounding the January 6, 2021 riot at the US Capitol.
“The attack on our nation’s capital on January 6, 2021, was an unprecedented assault on the seat of American democracy. As described in the indictment, it was fueled by lies,” said Special Counsel Smith.
