Washington, D.C. — In a groundbreaking report released on Tuesday, U.S. Special Counsel Jack Smith concluded that former President Donald Trump engaged in an unprecedented effort to retain power after his 2020 election defeat to President Joe Biden.
The report outlines a four-count indictment against Trump, accusing him of plotting to obstruct the collection and certification of votes in the aftermath of the election. According to Smith, the evidence gathered would have been sufficient to convict Trump at trial, but the upcoming presidential transition on January 20 made proceeding with the case unfeasible.
“The claim from Mr. Trump that my decisions as a prosecutor were influenced or directed by the Biden administration or other political actors is, in a word, laughable,” Smith stated in a letter accompanying the report, defending the integrity of his investigation and the prosecutors involved.
Trump responded swiftly on his social media platform, calling Smith a “lamebrain prosecutor who was unable to get his case tried before the election.” His legal team condemned the report as a “politically motivated attack,” arguing that its release could negatively impact the upcoming presidential transition.
While much of the report’s evidence has been previously disclosed, it unveils new considerations, such as prosecutors contemplating charging Trump under the Insurrection Act for allegedly inciting the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Ultimately, they decided against it due to legal uncertainties and insufficient evidence of Trump’s intent regarding the full scope of the violence that occurred.
The indictment specifically charges Trump with conspiring to obstruct the election certification, defraud the United States by interfering with accurate election results, and deprive voters of their rights. Although charges against some alleged co-conspirators were considered, no final decisions were reached.
Jack Smith, who departed from the Justice Department last week, emphasized adherence to departmental policies, citing a longstanding guideline against prosecuting a sitting president as the reason for dropping the cases after Trump’s election victory. Neither case reached trial.
Trump has maintained his innocence, pleading not guilty to all charges. He has consistently characterized the investigations as politically driven efforts to undermine his campaign and has vocally criticized Smith and his team.
In a last-minute attempt to prevent the report’s publication, Trump and his former co-defendants sought legal action to block its release ahead of the January 20 inauguration. Courts denied their requests, allowing the report to become public as the nation prepares for the presidential transition.
Reference(s):
Trump engaged in 'criminal effort' to overturn 2020 election: report
cgtn.com
