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U.S. NEWS Wednesday 28 august 2024
Feds file new indictment in Trump Jan. 6 case, keeping charges

intact but narrowing allegations

the department in the final tute official acts for which Smith that Trump participat-
weeks of the Trump admin- he is entitled to immunity, ed in a scheme orchestrat-
istration. Trump ultimately effectively stripping those ed by allies to enlist slates of
relented in that idea “when allegations from the case. fraudulent electors in battle-
he was told it would result in “As we have explained, ground states won by Dem-
mass resignations at the Jus- the President’s power to re- ocrat Joe Biden who would
tice Department,” accord- move ‘executive officers of falsely attest that Trump had
ing to the original indict- the United States whom he won in those states.
ment. Rosen remained on has appointed’ may not be It also retains allegations
as acting attorney general regulated by Congress or re- that Trump sought to pres-
through the end of Trump’s viewed by the courts,” Chief sure Vice President Mike
tenure. Justice John Roberts wrote Pence to reject legitimate
The new case no longer for the court. electoral votes, and that
references Clark as a co- The justices returned other Trump and his allies exploit-
conspirator. core allegations in the case ed the chaos at the Capitol
Special counsel Jack Smith speaks about an indictment of Trump’s co-conspirators to U.S. District Judge Tanya on Jan. 6 in an attempt to
former President Donald Trump, Aug. 1, 2023, at a Department were not named in either Chutkan, the trial judge pre- further delay the certifica-
of Justice office in Washington. indictment, but they have siding over the case, to de- tion of Biden’s victory.
Associated Press been identified through termine what constitutes an Roberts wrote in his majority
public records and other official act protected from opinion that the interactions
By ERIC TUCKER and ALAN- pearance in months given means. prosecution and what does between Trump and Pence
NA DURKIN RICHER that the case had been In its opinion, the Supreme not. amounted to official con-
Associated Press effectively frozen since last Court held that a presi- The new indictment still in- duct for which “Trump is at
WASHINGTON (AP) — December as Trump’s im- dent’s interactions with the cludes one of the more stun- least presumptively immune
munity appeal worked its Justice Department consti- ning allegations brought by from prosecution.” q
Special counsel Jack Smith way through the justice sys-
filed a new indictment Tues- tem. The special counsel’s
day against Donald Trump office said the updated
over his efforts to undo the indictment, filed in federal
2020 presidential election court in Washington, was
that keeps the same crimi- issued by a grand jury that
nal charges but narrows had not previously heard
the allegations against him evidence in the case.
following a Supreme Court It said in a statement that
opinion that conferred the indictment “reflects the
broad immunity on former Government’s efforts to re-
presidents. spect and implement the
The new indictment re- Supreme Court’s holdings
moves a section of the in- and remand instructions.”
dictment that had accused The central revision in the
Trump of trying to use the updated criminal case con-
law enforcement powers of cerns Trump’s dealings with
the Justice Department to the Justice Department.
overturn his election loss, an The original indictment in-
area of conduct for which cluded allegations that
the Supreme Court, in a 6-3 Trump tried to enlist the de-
opinion last month, said that partment in his failed effort
Trump was absolutely im- to undo his election loss,
mune from prosecution. including by conducting
The stripped-down criminal sham investigations and tell-
case represents a first effort ing states incorrectly that
by prosecutors to comply significant fraud had been
with a Supreme Court opin- detected.It detailed how
ion likely to result in a signifi- Jeffrey Clark, a top official
cant revision of the allega- in the Trump Justice Depart-
tions against Trump over his ment, wanted to send a
efforts to block the peace- letter to elected officials in
ful transfer of power. It was certain states falsely claim-
filed three days ahead of ing that the department
a deadline for prosecutors had “identified significant
and defense lawyers to tell concerns that may have im-
the judge in the case how pacted the outcome of the
they wanted to proceed in election” and had asked
light of that opinion, which top department officials to
said former presidents are sign it, but they refused.
presumptively immune from Clark’s support for Trump’s
prosecution for official White election fraud claims led
House acts. Trump to openly contem-
The two sides will be back plate naming him as acting
in court for a status hearing attorney general in place
next week, the first such ap- of Jeffrey Rosen, who led