OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Former President Donald Trump has been indicted again by special counsel Jack Smith stemming from his investigation into the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol Building.
According to Fox News, “This is the second federal indictment the former president faces out of Smith’s investigation. Trump, who leads the 2024 GOP presidential primary field, has already pleaded not guilty to 37 counts related to his alleged improper retention of classified records from his presidency.”
Trump faces several charges in that probe, including willful retention of national defense information, conspiracy to obstruct justice, and false statements. Additionally, he was indicted on three additional counts as part of a superseding indictment issued in connection with the same investigation last week.
This is the second time in U.S. history that a former president has faced charges in a federal criminal probe.
“This is nothing more than the latest corrupt chapter in the continued pathetic attempt by the Biden Crime Family and their weaponized Department of Justice to interfere with the 2024 Presidential Election, in which President Trump is the undisputed frontrunner, and leading by substantial margins,” a Trump campaign spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
“But why did they wait two and a half years to bring these fake charges, right in the middle of President Trump’s winning campaign for 2024? Why was it announced the day after the big Crooked Joe Biden scandal broke out from the Halls of Congress?” the spokesperson added.
“The answer is, election interference!” the spokesperson said. “The lawlessness of these persecutions of President Trump and his supporters is reminiscent of Nazi Germany in the 1930s, the former Soviet Union, and other authoritarian, dictatorial regimes.”
“President Trump has always followed the law and the Constitution, with advice from many highly accomplished attorneys,” the spokesperson continued. “These un-American witch hunts will fail and President Trump will be re-elected to the White House so he can save our Country from the abuse, incompetence, and corruption that is running through the veins of our Country at levels never seen before.”
The spokesperson concluded: “Three years ago, we had strong borders, energy independence, no inflation, and a great economy. Today, we are a nation in decline. President Trump will not be deterred by disgraceful and unprecedented political targeting!”
Reports said Trump was charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of an attempt to obstruct an official proceeding, and conspiracy against rights.
Fox News noted further:
The indictment comes after Trump had announced he received a target letter from the Justice Department, which also asked that he report to the federal grand jury. Trump said he anticipated “an arrest and indictment.”
Smith was investigating whether Trump or other officials and entities interfered with the peaceful transfer of power following the 2020 presidential election, including the certification of the Electoral College vote on Jan. 6, 2021.
On Jan. 6, 2021, pro-Trump rioters breached the U.S. Capitol during a joint session of Congress to certify the Electoral College results in favor of President Biden.
The House of Representatives drafted articles of impeachment against him again and ultimately voted to impeach him on a charge of inciting an insurrection for the Jan. 6 Capitol riot — making him the first and only president in history to be impeached, and ultimately acquitted, twice.
In a June interview with CBS’s “Face the Nation,” former Attorney General William Barr said he believed his former boss would be indicted over Jan. 6.
Host Robert Costa asked, “Trump was indicted and arraigned in the records case. Do you believe is a target, potentially in the January 6 case?”
“Yes. And, by the way, I defended him on cases that I think are unfair, like the one up in New York and so forth. I think the January 6 case will be a hard case to make because of First Amendment interest. But I am actually beginning to think they will pull the trigger on that. I would expect it to be this summer,” he said.
