Former President Donald Trump has been indicted on four charges by special counsel Jack Smith who is investigating attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. Trump is scheduled to appear in court Thursday, Aug. 3.
Trump is charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States, two counts related to obstructing an official proceeding of Congress and conspiracy to violate rights.
These charges closely align with a criminal referral the House Jan. 6 investigative committee made to Jack Smith in December 2022.
The committee suggested Trump should be charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States, obstruction of an official proceeding, conspiracy to make a false statement, and “incite,” “assist” or “aid and comfort” an insurrection.
Smith is bringing the first two charges. As of right now, he has not charged Trump with the last two.
Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., the Democrat who led Donald Trump’s second impeachment and sat on the committee, said the indictment is a vindication.
“I feel very pleased that this is such a vindication of the rule of law in America and that this grand jury saw what the January 6 committee saw,” Raskin told CBS News.
Raskin said it’s possible Smith did not bring the “incite,” “assist” or “aid and comfort” an insurrection charge because it has not been constitutionally tested by the Supreme Court.
House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi said in a statement, “Our Founders made clear that, in the United States of America, no one is above the law – not even the former President of the United States.”
While Democrats and former Vice President Mike Pence support the charges, Republicans said they are concerned about freedom of speech. Amongst those concerned is former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani who was Trump’s attorney at the time of the riot and is believed to be unnamed co-conspirator No. 1.
“Violating the right of free speech of an American citizen. Never mind whether he was president or not. He could be anybody. He could be a homeless person. You don’t get to violate people’s First Amendment rights, Smith,” Giuliani said on Newsmax.
The indictment came the same day a NYT-Siena College poll found that Trump and President Biden are tied in a hypothetical rematch.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., summed up Trump’s loyal following in a tweet that stated, “I will still vote for Trump even if he’s in jail.”
