Trump has been charged by the Department of Justice with the following four counts:
-
A conspiracy to defraud the United States “by using dishonesty, fraud and deceit to obstruct the nation’s process of collecting, counting, and certifying the results of the presidential election,” according to the special counsel’s office.
-
A conspiracy to impede the Jan. 6 congressional proceeding at which the collected results of the presidential election are counted and certified.
-
A conspiracy against the right to vote and to have that vote counted.
-
Obstruction of, and attempt to obstruct and impede, the certification of the electoral vote.
In criminally charging former president Donald Trump for his efforts to reverse his 2020 election loss, federal prosecutors allege that Trump enlisted six co-conspirators to “assist him in his criminal efforts to overturn the legitimate results of the 2020 presidential election and retain power.”
-
Rudy Giuliani
-
John Eastman
-
Sidney Powell
-
Jeffrey Clark
-
Kenneth Chesebro
-
Unknown political consultant
Updated 8/3/2023 by Jordan Lund
Washington, D.C. - 4 felonies, January 6th Election Interference
Investigation
Indictment
Arrest <- You Are Here
(Lawyers have until 8/10 to submit requested trial dates, which will be announced on 8/28)
Trial
Conviction
Sentencing
Georgia - Election Interference
Investigation <- You Are Here
2 new grand juries were impaneled on 7/11/2023.
Indictment - July 11th to September 1st.
(Grand Jury work expected July 31 to Aug. 18)
Arrest
Trial
Conviction
Sentencing
New York State - 34 felonies, Stormy Daniels Payoff
Investigation
Indictment
Arrest <- You Are Here
Trial - March 25th, 2024
Conviction
Sentencing
Florida - 40 felonies, Federal documents charges
Investigation
Indictment
The original indictment was for 37 felonies.
3 new felonies were added on July 27, 2023.
Arrest <- You Are Here
Trial - May 20, 2024
Conviction
Sentencing
Other grand juries, such as for the documents at Bedminster, have not been announced.
The E. Jean Carroll trial for sexual assault and defamation, where Trump was found liable and ordered to pay $5 million before immediately defaming her again, resulting in a demand for $10 million, is not listed as it’s a civil case and not a criminal one.
Sources:
Trumps 3rd Indictment - Conspiring to Defraud the United States - 1 August 2023
NBC News: Grand jury charges Trump in 2020 election probe: Highlights
Vox: Trump was just indicted for trying to steal the 2020 election
CNN: August 1, 2023 Trump indicted in special counsel’s 2020 election interference probe
Washington Post: Here are the Trump co-conspirators described in the DOJ indictment
Reason: Trump Indicted for Attempting To Overturn 2020 Presidential Election
FiveThirtyEight: All Of Trump’s Indictments Could Seriously Bog Down His Campaign
Trump’s Arraignment - 3 August 2023
AP: Trump is due to face a judge in DC over charges he tried to overturn the 2020 presidential election
CBS News: Trump pleads not guilty to federal charges in special counsel probe
Chicago Tribune: Trump pleads not guilty to federal charges that he tried to overturn the 2020 election
The Independent: Trump appears to stumble over his name and age at arraignment
Official Documentation
I’m more worried than usual, because the GOP is backing him so hard. He’s going to try and delay all verdicts until 2025 by having his lawyers issue motions and objections. If Trump wins, it’s without question he’ll try to pardon himself (and likely fail) or will direct the attorney general to drop all pending cases. We literally could lose American democracy this time around.
He would absolutely be able to self-pardon for any federal crimes he was already convicted of were he to win. It is unlikely that he will be convicted in any state cases (NY or Georgia) before the election. How ongoing criminal cases in state court would play out were he elected remains to be seen, but he would certainly direct the DOJ to stop any criminal proceedings in federal court.
You are absolutely correct that democracy as we know it is at stake in this election, and I sincerely hope that people understand how deadly serious the stakes are if Trump is allowed to reclaim the Presidency. There would need to be serious organization surrounding a general strike, and the use of other collective actions by the citizens in this country as a mechanism to oppose the dismantling of the United States as we know it.
If he’s in jail and wins, does he get let out? That seems immensely unclear.
I think the short answer is:
Federal Prison, yes.
State Prison, I have no idea. It would be up to the state to litigate this, and what that would look like I’m not really sure.
Why from federal prison?
Well, if he is elected president then he would be able to direct the DOJ to have the Federal Bureau of Prisons let him out. The President doesn’t have direct control over the state criminal justice systems, so he would have a more difficult time getting himself released from State Prison. It would have to go through the appeals process, which would ultimately end up in the Supreme Court one way or another. If they choose not to take the case, and all the previous lower courts had ruled to hold him in prison then he would stay in prison.
Nobody can self pardon due to a longstanding precolonial rule that you can’t be your own judge. He’ll try anyway, and dare anyone to defy him. It will go to Supreme Court and it’s unclear how they will rule.
Very interesting, thanks for the information. I will have to do some additional research on this then. I don’t think anybody should be able to pardon themselves, and one would think the Supreme Court would not be on favor of that either since it would create precedent superseding judicial authority which they won’t like. It’s all a convoluted mess, that’s for damn sure.
And you know that, if he’s elected President again, he’ll ensure that his Justice department will bring cases against everyone he doesn’t like in venues favorable to him.
He’ll open a federal case in Texas against Joe Biden. The charges? Election interference. The proof? Nonexistent. But the Trump appointed judge will find Biden guilty.
Either that or Trump will just send people to prison “pending trial” and will refuse to release them when ordered to.
Lol with the hyperbole, lose American democracy… the fact that he’s got so many indictments kinda tells you that’s not a real thing