A federal grand jury in Washington, D.C., has reindicted Donald Trump on four felony charges connected to his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results. The 36-page indictment, filed by special counsel Jack Smith on Tuesday, is an attempt to adjust the case against Trump following the Supreme Court’s recent ruling that grants presidents broad immunity from prosecution for actions taken during their official duties.
Despite the changes, the superseding indictment still charges Trump with the same four crimes, including conspiracy to defraud the United States. This move signals that Smith believes the Supreme Court’s ruling won’t significantly hinder the prosecution’s case against Trump. The new indictment seems to downplay any direct connection between Trump’s actions and his official presidential duties, focusing instead on the political and personal nature of his conduct after the election and on January 6, 2021.
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The reindictment emphasizes that then-Vice President Mike Pence was also Trump’s running mate during the period when Trump pressured him to interfere with the certification of the election results. It highlights that the rally Trump held on January 6, 2021, was privately funded and organized, and it underscores that Trump often used his Twitter account for personal purposes. Notably, the new document omits references to several high-ranking officials who had previously informed Trump that his claims of election fraud were unfounded. These omissions reflect an effort to respect the Supreme Court’s guidance on the limits of prosecuting a sitting president for actions related to their official duties.
The reindictment also drops any mention of former Justice Department official Jeffrey Clark, who had been referenced as an alleged co-conspirator in the original indictment. Clark was involved in discussions about sending letters to local election officials falsely claiming fraud in the 2020 election, but Trump ultimately did not pursue this plan after widespread objections from senior Justice Department officials.
The legal drama is unfolding just hours after Vice President Kamala Harris conceded to former Trump, agreeing to his proposed terms for their upcoming debate. Set for September 10 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the debate promises to be a major television spectacle broadcast live on ABC. Trump announced the agreement on his social media platform Truth Social, characterizing ABC as “FAKE NEWS” and labeling Harris as “Comrade Kamala.” The former president also criticized the network for its bias but expressed his satisfaction with the debate format which mirrors that of the previous CNN debate. According to Trump, the rules will be stringent: no notes or “cheat sheets” are allowed, aiming to ensure a direct and unmediated exchange between the candidates.
