A report by then-special counsel Jack Smith earlier Tuesday said US President-elect Donald Trump would have been convicted of his alleged attempt to overturn the 2020 election had he not been elected four years later.
The U.S. Department of Justice’s view that the Constitution precludes impeachment and prosecution of the President is clear and does not alter the seriousness of the charges, the strength of the government’s evidence, or the merits of the prosecution, which the office fully considers. stands behind,” the report said.
“Indeed, but for Mr. Trump’s election and early return to the presidency, the (Special Counsel) Office determined that the admissible evidence was sufficient to sustain a conviction at trial.”
Trump, who returned to the White House on January 20, was charged with conspiring to defraud the United States and conspiring to obstruct an official proceeding — a session of Congress to confirm President Joe Biden’s election victory. was called but was violently attacked on January 6. , 2021 by a crowd of Republican supporters.
Smith, who was the special counsel appointed to investigate Trump, dropped the federal criminal case against the incoming leader after his November presidential election victory.
Shortly after the report was released overnight, Trump fired back on his Truth social platform, calling Smith a “victim of indiscretion” and adding that he “successfully ran against his ‘boss’s” political opponent. failed to prosecute.”
“To show you how desperate Jack Smith is, he released his fake results at 1:00am,” Trump added in another post.
Trump’s lawyers had previously urged US Attorney General Merrick Garland not to release the report, calling the plan to release it “unlawful, malicious and contrary to the public interest”.
‘Change Results’
Smith’s report details Trump’s alleged efforts to convince state-level Republican lawmakers and leaders to “change the outcome” of the 2020 election.
According to the report released by the Justice Department, “Mr. Trump contacted state legislators and executives, pressured them with false claims of election fraud in their states, and urged them to count the votes.” Take action to ignore and reverse the consequences.”
“Importantly, he made electoral claims only for state legislators and executives who shared his political affiliations and were his political supporters, and only in states where he lost.”
In addition, the report alleges that Trump and co-conspirators planned to organize individuals who would serve as his presidential candidates, if he won the popular vote, in seven states where he would run. Lost — Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico, Pennsylvania. and Wisconsin – “and causes them to sign and send to Washington false certifications claiming that they are legitimate voters.”
Ultimately, they “used forged certificates to obstruct the congressional certification process,” the report said.
The special counsel’s office concluded that “Trump’s conduct violated numerous federal criminal statutes and that admissible evidence would be sufficient to obtain and sustain a conviction.”
Trump-appointed Judge Ellen Cannon last year dismissed a separate case against the former and future president — over Trump’s handling of top-secret documents after he left the White House — but two of his former co-defendants. Charges against him are still pending.
Smith left the Justice Department last week, days after submitting his final report as special counsel.
In another case, a judge on Friday sentenced Trump to an unconditional discharge for covering up money he gave to a porn star, despite last-ditch efforts by the US president-elect to avoid becoming the first offender in the White House. Despite