Trump could face federal indictment soon for trying to overturn 2020 election loss : NPR

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Former President Trump is facing federal criminal charges for his role in trying to cling to power after the 2020 election, the most serious legal problem he has faced in a summer of indictments.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

This Monday, we also look forward to another indictment of former President Donald Trump.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

Yes. The front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination has been indicted twice. One is state. One is federal. If it happens soon, it will be another federal indictment in his effort to overturn his 2020 election loss.

INSKEEP: NPR’s Carrie Johnson is following this story. Hi, Carrie.

CARRIE JOHNSON, BYLINE: Hey, Steve.

INSKEEP: What does the indictment look like?

JOHNSON: Donald Trump told us he received a targeted letter about a week ago. And that’s a strong signal that the special counsel, Jack Smith, is moving toward a grand jury indictment of the former president. To indict, the grand jury must find probable cause that Trump violated the law. Now, that’s a lower standard than what’s required to be convicted in a courtroom, but it’s still a very significant step. And Trump’s lawyers suggest a number of possible charges could be on the table, including conspiracy to defraud the US and obstruction of Congress on January 6. Trump says he is, quote, “absolutely innocent,” and he’s been fundraising from this targeted letter for several days now.

INSKEEP: Which could be one reason why someone would issue such a letter, I think – to marshal political and financial support. Now, with each of these indictments, we have to learn or relearn about another pattern of alleged criminal behavior. What is said behavior here?

JOHNSON: You know, in some ways, Steve, this is going to be the most serious criminal case against Donald Trump if it goes forward. More than two years ago, we all watched as rioters stormed the US Capitol. They beat the police with their fists and flag poles and other instruments. They stopped, at least for a moment, the certification of the 2020 presidential election.

And, you know, the Justice Department and the FBI have arrested about a thousand people in connection with the riot. But whether the people spreading lies about fraud in the 2020 election will face justice is a big and open question. This letter targeting Donald Trump is a sign that special counsel Jack Smith is moving to hold the former president accountable. Grand juries here in Washington, DC, continue to hear witnesses and issue subpoenas for documents, so their work is far from over.

INSKEEP: How does the former president defend himself in a series of lawsuits while also campaigning for another term as president?

JOHNSON: You know, Trump made a different decision here than anyone else. He is making his legal troubles the centerpiece of his presidential campaign. He refers to himself as someone who was targeted for political reasons. That’s even though the Justice Department has appointed a special counsel to try to insulate these investigations from politics. And Trump was in and out of court for most of the next year. He has a criminal trial in Manhattan over hush payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels in March 2024. He now has a trial date in Florida for May 2024. Steve, that’s the case that accuses Trump of storing classified documents at his Florida resort and obstructing the FBI’s efforts to recover those papers. Trump did not commit a crime in Florida. He signaled that he would try to get those charges dismissed and dismissed some of the evidence against him there.

INSKEEP: Are there no other possible indictments pending?

JOHNSON: Absolutely. There is a grand jury in Georgia looking into Trump’s efforts to pressure state officials to find him more votes in 2020. Georgia’s governor also confirmed that he has contacted the Justice Department’s special counsel. But Georgia may also be important for another reason. If these federal cases do not end in the next election and Donald Trump wins, he may try to direct his Justice Department to drop these federal cases or even pardon himself. Trump won’t have that kind of power to get rid of any state cases going on in New York or Georgia.

INSKEEP: Carrie, thanks as always for your insights.

JOHNSON: My pleasure.

INSKEEP: That’s NPR justice correspondent Carrie Johnson.

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