Donald Trump pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges that he tried to overturn his 2020 election defeat in what U.S. prosecutors say is an attempt by the then-president to undermine the pillars of American democracy. An unprecedented effort.
Special counsel Jack Smith, who has overseen the federal investigation, watched from the front row of the courtroom as Trump entered his plea before U.S. Magistrate Judge Moxela Upadhyay.
“Not guilty,” Trump said, emphasizing the first word.
The arrest, which lasted about half an hour, took place at a courthouse in Washington, half a mile (1 km) from the US Capitol, the building that Trump supporters stormed on January 6, 2021, to announce their defeat to Congress. Attempts can be made to prevent authentication.
It was the third time Trump has pleaded not guilty since April, amid a legal battle expected months before the 2024 presidential campaign, in which Trump will compete against Democratic President Joe Biden. Republicans are the front-runners for the nomination.
In a 45-page indictment filed Tuesday, Smith accused Trump and his allies of promoting false claims of election fraud, pressuring state and federal officials to alter the results. And collect fake voter slates to try to steal electoral votes from Biden.
Trump, 77, faces four charges, including conspiracy to defraud the United States, disenfranchising citizens and obstruction of government. The most serious charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The next court date in the case is Aug. 28 before U.S. District Judge Tanya Chitkin, although Upadhyay said Trump will not be required to appear. Upadhyay said Chitkan plans to set a trial date at this time.
Trump’s lawyer, John Lauro, filed an initial objection, arguing that the severity of the case and the amount of material involved could take too long.
Prosecutor Thomas Windom responded that the case should proceed as usual, including a speedy trial.
Trump was released without travel restrictions. One of the conditions of his release is that he will not speak to any witnesses unless his lawyers are present.
Trump has characterized the indictment, as well as other criminal cases against him, as a “witch hunt” aimed at derailing his campaign for the White House.
‘Sad day for America’
“This is a very sad day for America,” Trump told reporters after the hearing before boarding his private plane to return to his Bedminster, New Jersey, golf club. “This is persecution of a political opponent.”
The first of Trump’s two impeachments, in 2019, was to pressure Ukraine to investigate his Democratic rival, Biden. Senate Republicans acquitted him of the charges.
Trump entered the courtroom wearing a red tie and navy blue suit with an American flag lapel pin. About 10 Secret Service agents stood behind him along the wall.
He was seen periodically glancing over at Smith, who entered with his security detail and the prosecutors assigned to the case.
When a court deputy read aloud the name of the case — “United States v. Donald J. Trump” — the former president shook his head in disapproval.
Trump previously pleaded not guilty to federal charges that he withheld classified documents after leaving office and New York state charges that he falsified documents in connection with payments to a porn star. .
He may soon face more charges in Georgia, where a state prosecutor is investigating his efforts to overturn an election there. Atlanta District Attorney Fannie Willis has said she will file charges by mid-August.
Trump still Republican front-runner
Trump’s legal woes have done little to damage his status as the Republican front-runner. Forty-seven percent of Republican voters said they would support him in a new Reuters/Ipsos poll taken after Tuesday’s indictment, extending his lead over second-place Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to 13 percentage points.
Three-quarters of Republicans said they agreed that the allegations were “politically motivated,” indicating that Trump’s claim that he is the victim of political persecution resonates with his base.
That said, about half of Republicans in the same poll said they would not vote for Trump if he were convicted of a crime, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll, stemming from his legal entanglements with his candidacy. Identifying potential hazards.
Most prominent Republicans, including several competing with Trump for the White House, have either defended him or offered muted criticism, instead calling on the Biden administration to arm the Justice Department against a campaign foe. Be blamed.
Biden declined to comment on the arrest.
Many of the allegations in Tuesday’s indictment were well-documented in media reports and an investigation by a select committee of the U.S. House of Representatives.
But the indictment contains some details that were not widely known, many of which are based on grand jury testimony and contemporaneous notes from former Vice President Mike Pence, who is also running for the Republican presidential nomination.
The indictment describes a phone call in which Pence told Trump that there was no legal basis for the theory that Pence could block the election’s certification.
“You’re very honest,” Trump replied, according to prosecutors.
Although Pence has repeatedly told Trump that he does not have the authority to overrule certain states’ electoral votes, Trump has continued to repeat that claim.
On January 6, as he spoke to supporters before storming the Capitol, Trump said: “If Mike Pence does the right thing, we win the election.” Some rioters at the Capitol later chanted, “Hang Mike Pence!”
Far from fearing violence, Trump and his colleagues continued to call Republican members of Congress hours after the riots ended, still planning to block certification, the indictment said.
Pence was one of the few Republicans to criticize Trump on Tuesday, saying “anyone who puts themselves above the Constitution should never be president.”
