Trump Reveals He’s a Target in the US Investigation Concerning Efforts to Overturn 2020 Election Results

On Tuesday, former President Donald Trump announced that he had received communication confirming his status as a target in the Department of Justice’s inquiry into endeavors to reverse the outcomes of the 2020 presidential election. This move suggests that U.S. prosecutors could soon level charges against him.

This potential new federal indictment would join existing state and federal charges from New York, Florida, and another nearing completion in Georgia relating to election-interference, thereby amplifying Trump’s legal challenges as he aims for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.

Trump revealed the existence of the target letter through a post on his Truth Social platform. He stated that he received the letter on Sunday night and foresees being indicted. Such letters are typically a precursor to an indictment and serve to inform individuals under investigation that evidence tying them to a crime has been collected. For instance, Trump got one shortly before he was charged last month in a separate inquiry concerning the unlawful retention of classified documents.

The special counsel Jack Smith, who is spearheading the investigation, had his spokesperson decline to comment.

Legal professionals speculate that potential charges might involve conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstruction of an official proceeding, in this case, the certification of President Joe Biden’s electoral triumph by Congress.

The Smith-led team has thoroughly investigated Trump and his allies’ attempts to impede the transition of power to Biden in the days preceding the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot. Over a thousand individuals alleged to have partaken in the riot have been charged.

Smith’s investigation has largely focused on various attempts by Trump and his associates to maintain his presidency. This includes the roles played by legal practitioners in advocating for overturning results and scheming to send fraudulent electoral certificates to Congress from several key states that Biden won.

The prosecution has summoned several Trump administration officials, including former Vice President Mike Pence, for questioning in front of a Washington grand jury. They’ve also interviewed Trump advisers like former lawyer Rudy Giuliani and local election officials from Michigan and New Mexico who were pressured by Trump to reverse their states’ election results. Giuliani, who voluntarily submitted to an interview, confirmed he did not receive a target letter.

Despite the ongoing investigations and charges, Trump remains the leading contender in the Republican party. Indictments in New York and Florida relating to hush money payments during his 2016 campaign have had minimal impact on his standing within the crowded GOP field. These indictments have even spurred his campaign to raise millions from supporters, albeit less after the second indictment, leading to speculation about whether future charges will have similar effects.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Trump’s main contender, expressed his criticism of Trump’s inaction on Jan. 6 at a South Carolina press conference but refrained from commenting on the target letter as he had not seen it.

Trump is scheduled to appear in Iowa on Tuesday, where he will be filming a town hall with Fox News host Sean Hannity.

One of the purposes of a target letter is to inform a potential defendant of their right to present themselves before the grand jury. Trump mentioned in his post that he had a “very short 4 days” to report to the grand jury, which he believes implies imminent arrest and indictment.

A separate investigation is underway in Georgia regarding Trump’s efforts to overturn his election defeat there. Fulton County’s lead prosecutor hinted at announcing charging decisions next month.

In his Tuesday post, Trump reiterated his denial of any wrongdoing, asserting his right to protest an election he firmly believes was manipulated. He claimed that he had now been effectively indicted three times, with a probable fourth from Atlanta, and described the investigations as a politically motivated misuse of law enforcement.

Trump was indicted last month on 37 federal felony counts tied to accusations of illegally retaining hundreds of classified documents at his Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago, to which he pleaded not guilty. A pretrial conference in that case is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon in Fort Pierce, Fla.

Report contributors include Jill Colvin in New York and Alanna Durkin Richer in Boston from Big Big News.

For more information on investigations related to Donald Trump, visit: https://bigbignews.net/donald-trump

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