Former President Donald Trump has been charged with multiple offenses by a federal grand jury for his attempts to retain power following his loss in the 2020 presidential election. These charges add to Trump’s existing legal troubles as he prepares for a third bid for the White House. The indictment, handed up by the grand jury, includes four charges: conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding, and conspiracy against rights.
Special counsel Jack Smith, in announcing the charges, referred to the events of January 6, 2021, as an unprecedented assault on democracy. He stated that these actions were fueled by lies spread by the defendant, aimed at obstructing the government’s process of collecting, counting, and certifying the election results.
The indictment outlines that despite his loss, Trump was determined to remain in power. He spent over two months after the election spreading false claims about election fraud and his victory. These claims were knowingly false, yet he repeated and disseminated them widely.
The indictment also implicates six unnamed co-conspirators who allegedly assisted Trump in his criminal efforts to overturn the election. They are accused of pushing officials to ignore the popular vote and organizing fraudulent slates of electors in multiple states.
Prosecutors further allege that Trump and his co-conspirators attempted to use the power of the Justice Department to conduct sham election crime investigations. They also tried to enlist then-Vice President Mike Pence to fraudulently alter the election results on January 6. The indictment notes that a large and angry crowd, incited by Trump’s false claims, violently attacked the Capitol when it became clear that Pence would not change the results.
It is worth mentioning that the indictment does not include specific charges related to inciting an insurrection. However, Pence is identified as a key witness in the case, with extensive notes documenting the events.
Trump has been summoned to appear before a magistrate judge in Washington, D.C. on Thursday. His campaign released a statement criticizing the indictment as a corrupt attempt by the Biden administration to interfere with the 2024 Presidential Election.
Prosecutors intend to seek a speedy trial, although the timing for such a trial is not yet determined. Trump also faces other legal challenges, including state criminal charges in New York in March and federal charges in Florida in May.
This content has been written by Kathryn Watson, CBS News Digital’s politics reporter based in Washington, D.C.
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