U.S. Special Counsel Jack Smith has concluded that former President Donald Trump engaged in an \\"unprecedented criminal effort\\" to remain in power after losing the 2020 election. According to a report published on Tuesday, Smith had intended to bring a four-count indictment against Trump, accusing him of obstructing the collection and certification of votes following his defeat by Democratic President Joe Biden.
The report suggests that the evidence presented would have been sufficient to convict Trump at trial. However, Smith indicated that Trump's anticipated return to the presidency on January 20 prevented the case from proceeding.
Throughout the investigation, Smith faced continuous criticism from Trump, who dismissed the claims as politically motivated. In a recent post on his Truth Social account, Trump labeled Smith a \\"lamebrain prosecutor who was unable to get his case tried before the election.\\" In response, Trump’s legal team described the report as a \\"politically motivated attack\\" that could jeopardize the presidential transition.
The report not only references previously publicized evidence but also introduces new details. Notably, prosecutors considered charging Trump under the Insurrection Act for allegedly inciting the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. However, they ultimately decided against it, citing legal risks and insufficient evidence of intent for the full scope of the violence.
The indictment charges Trump with conspiring to obstruct the election certification, defraud the United States of accurate election results, and deprive U.S. voters of their voting rights. While Smith's office acknowledged that charges might have been applicable to some co-conspirators involved in the alleged plan, no final conclusions have been reached regarding these individuals.
Additionally, the report includes accusations against Trump for illegally retaining sensitive national security documents after his departure from the White House in 2021. However, the Justice Department has withheld this section pending ongoing legal proceedings against two of Trump's associates.
Smith, who recently left the Justice Department, had previously dropped both cases against Trump, adhering to a longstanding policy against prosecuting a sitting president. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges and continues to portray the investigations as attempts to undermine his campaign and political influence.
Efforts by Trump and his co-defendants to block the release of Smith’s report were unsuccessful, as courts rejected their demands to prevent its publication ahead of Trump's scheduled return to office.
Reference(s):
Trump engaged in 'criminal effort' to overturn 2020 election: report
cgtn.com
