Aug 03, 2023 at 9:29 PM Update: 18 minutes ago
Donald Trump was arraigned in a criminal case on Thursday for the third time in four months. The former US president denied guilt in the case, which revolves around whether Trump tried to reverse the 2020 election results.
Trump arrived in Washington just before 9 p.m. (Dutch time) for his arraignment. Like the previous two times, he left the airport in a column of armored vehicles. He was released around 10:45 p.m.
In the courtroom – just like last time – Special Prosecutor Jack Smith was present. Smith is leading the two federal criminal investigations into Trump.
The former president denied all four charges against him in this case. According to NBC News the first day of the substantive hearing will take place on 28 August.
There were also according to news agency AP three police officers attended the hearing. On January 6, 2021, they defended the Capitol against supporters of the former president who stormed the building. Two of the officers present were injured. The third was chased by the angry mob.
Criminal offenses Trump is suspected of
Conspiracy to defraud the federal government Conspiracy to violate Americans’ voting rights Obstruction of official government proceedings Conspiracy to obstruct such proceedings
Trump doesn’t need a mug shot
Because Trump voluntarily presented himself in federal court, he was not handcuffed. He also did not have to have a mugshot (photo of a suspect) taken. He had to have his fingerprints taken, heard what the charges are and then he could leave.
The condition for Trump’s release is that he does not contact witnesses in the case, unless this is done through his lawyer.
Trump spoke of “a sad day for America” after the session. “This is a political persecution. This should never have happened in America,” he said before boarding his plane to New Jersey.
It was the third time in a short time that the 77-year-old former president did this tune. In March, Trump was charged with forgery leading up to the 2016 presidential election.
A little less than two months ago, the arraignment followed in the case of illegally taking secret government documents from the White House. Trump said he was innocent in both cases.
Trump tried to undo lost elections
The case in which he is now arraigned revolves around attempts to reverse the results of the 2020 presidential election. He lost that election to current president Joe Biden, but Trump refused to accept this.
He tried to get election officials in key swing states to “find” votes for him. He also unsuccessfully urged his Vice President Mike Pence not to ratify the result in Congress.
When Pence refused, thousands of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol. That is the US House of Representatives where the result was ratified at that time.
The criminal investigation focuses on crimes that allegedly took place between the presidential election in November 2020 and the storming of the Capitol on January 6, 2021. An important question that must be answered during the trial is whether Trump knew he had lost the election and against know better in the profit claimed.
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78 charges in three criminal cases
In total, there are now 78 charges in three criminal cases against Trump, it reckoned The Economist out. That number is likely to continue to rise. A fourth criminal investigation against Trump is still ongoing. That investigation is about attempted election fraud in the state of Georgia.
Despite all charges, Trump is in pole position to run on behalf of the Republicans against Biden in the 2024 election.
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2023-08-03 19:29:00
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