Trump Faces Additional Charges in Updated Federal Election Indictment: A Brief Overview of America
Federal prosecutors have updated a case against former U.S. President Donald Trump to address the issue of presidential immunity granted by the Supreme Court. The immunity ruling applies to actions taken by Trump while in office, forcing prosecutors to focus solely on actions outside his official capacity.
Special Council Jack Smith presented the revised indictment on Aug. 27. The case now centers on allegations that Trump attempted to influence the 2020 election results. The four counts in the indictment remain the same: conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of an official proceeding, and conspiracy against rights.
Any actions involving the Justice Department were removed from the new 36-page indictment. Former Trump administration Justice Department official Jeffrey Clark is no longer listed as a co-conspirator, despite being identified through public records.
The case still includes claims that Trump pressured Vice President Mike Pence to overturn the election certification on Jan. 6, 2021. Trump’s personal interest in being named the election winner is highlighted in the revised indictment.
The case is unlikely to proceed before the Nov. 5 elections, where Trump is running against Vice President Kamala Harris. If Trump wins, he may withdraw the case. If he loses, an appeal is expected, possibly leading to the Supreme Court.
In a previous ruling, the Supreme Court granted Trump some presidential immunity for actions taken in his official capacity. Trump criticized the new indictment on his Truth Social network and denied all allegations against him.
On Aug. 26, Smith petitioned an appeals court to overturn a judge’s decision dismissing the illegal documents case against Trump. The case involved Trump allegedly retaining classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago resort after leaving office.
While Cannon ruled Smith’s appointment as special counsel was unlawful, a special council is typically appointed to handle conflicts of interest, such as legal matters involving former presidents.
Contributor Sam Dorman assisted with this report.
