According to Daily Mail, former President Donald Trump is facing federal criminal charges over his alleged attempts to retain power after losing the 2020 election. A grand jury indictment accuses him of spreading lies and obstructing the electoral count, ultimately leading to the events on January 6, 2021, when an angry mob stormed the U.S. Capitol.
The indictment consists of four counts, including conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government and obstruct the electoral count. It alleges that Trump and six unnamed co-conspirators used false claims of election fraud to subvert the legitimate election results and change electoral votes to favor Trump over Joe Biden.
Special Counsel Jack Smith, who has been leading the federal investigation, made a televised public statement condemning the attack on the Capitol, attributing it to the lies spread by Trump in an attempt to obstruct the election process. Smith vowed to conduct a speedy trial as the charges carry a maximum sentence of 55 years in prison.
The former president is already facing 40 federal charges in Florida related to his handling of government documents and is scheduled to stand trial in New York on accusations of falsifying business documents after making a hush money payment to Stormy Daniels.
In response to the indictment, the Trump campaign issued a statement calling it another witch hunt and comparing the U.S. to Nazi Germany. Trump’s team maintains that he has always followed the law and the Constitution.
The indictment also identifies six co-conspirators, familiar figures from the House January 6 probe, who are alleged to have played key roles in spreading false claims and obstructing the election certification process.
The criminal cases against Trump have ignited legal and political debates in the country, with the former president accusing prosecutors of trying to derail his political ambitions. However, the indictment marks a significant milestone in the investigations into the events of January 6 and Trump’s attempts to overturn the election result.
