Trump 'resorted to crimes' to overturn 2020 election, prosecutors say

Prosecutors have stated that former President Donald Trump engaged in criminal activities in an attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. They argue that he should not be allowed to evade charges. A recent court filing challenges Trump's assertion that he should be exempt from trial due to a significant ruling by the U. S. Supreme Court, which indicated that presidents are immune from prosecution while performing their official duties. However, prosecutors contend that Trump was acting in a private capacity during the alleged offenses, not as a president. In response to these allegations, Trump has continued to propagate false claims that the 2020 election was 'rigged' and has suggested that the timing of the court filing was intended to undermine his campaign for the 2024 election. In an interview with NewsNation, he also criticized Special Counsel Jack Smith, who is leading the investigation into the election interference and submitted the recent filing. U. S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan released the document, which was filed by Smith last week, with some parts redacted. This case is one of four criminal cases Trump is currently facing since losing the election in 2020, one of which resulted in a historic conviction in New York. Trump is accused of attempting to illegally obstruct the certification of President Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 election, but he maintains that he has done nothing wrong. The newly released 165-page document provides a detailed account of how Smith's team plans to pursue their case, having adjusted the language of their charges following the Supreme Court's ruling. It outlines Trump's alleged scheme, including his actions during the riot at the U. S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, and highlights the efforts of then-Vice President Mike Pence to persuade him to accept the election results. This issue remains a significant topic in U. S. politics nearly four years later, especially with the upcoming 2024 election in November, where Trump is expected to run against Kamala Harris. The matter was also raised during a recent vice-presidential debate, where JD Vance declined to answer whether Trump, his running mate for 2024, lost the 2020 election. The court filing may represent Smith's final opportunity to present his case against Trump, as the proceedings have faced numerous delays since the Department of Justice filed charges over a year ago. Trump will not go to trial before the November election, and if he wins, he may attempt to have the case dismissed. Trump's legal team has fought to keep the latest filing confidential, with campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung labeling it as 'falsehood-ridden' and 'unconstitutional. ' In the newly released document, Smith and his team are attempting to navigate the implications of the summer Supreme Court ruling, which complicated their case, by narrowing their focus. The Supreme Court ruling did not grant immunity for unofficial actions. Prosecutors argue that although Trump was still in office when he attempted to overturn the 2020 election results, his actions were related to his campaign and his life as a private citizen. They refer to it as a 'private criminal effort. ' The filing asserts that the court should 'determine that the defendant must stand trial for his private crimes as he would any other citizen. ' The document details several instances where Pence expressed skepticism about Trump's claims of voter fraud and tried to convince him to acknowledge his loss in the election. According to the court document, prosecutors allege that Trump was indifferent when he learned that Pence had been taken to a secure location as rioters stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021. He reportedly responded with 'So what? ' when informed of the situation. Pence later publicly discussed his disagreements with Trump following the Capitol riot, especially when some rioters shouted threats against him for refusing to obstruct the certification of the election results. The filing also claims that Trump had always intended to declare victory regardless of the actual election outcome and had laid the groundwork for this long before election day. It accuses him of knowingly spreading false claims about the election that he himself considered 'crazy. ' Smith's filing also provides new insights into the Trump campaign's alleged role in creating chaos in key battleground states, where a significant number of mail-in ballots were being counted in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In Detroit, Michigan, when a large number of ballots appeared to favor Biden, a Trump campaign operative allegedly instructed a colleague to 'find a reason' to challenge the ballots to create 'options to file litigation. ' The filing also claims that Trump and his allies, including lawyer Rudy Giuliani, sought to 'exploit the violence and chaos at the Capitol' on January 6, 2021, to delay the certification of the election results. They allegedly did this by contacting senators and leaving voicemails urging them to object to the state electors. Trump stated on Wednesday that he believes the case will conclude with his 'complete victory. ' However, a trial date has yet to be established.