Former US Special Prosecutor: Trump Would Have Been Convicted If Not for His Presidential Election Win
Donald Trump could have been convicted of trying to cling to power after losing the 2020 presidential election if he had not won in 2024, according to a report by former special prosecutor Jack Smith published by the US Department of Justice.
Recall that Smith, who resigned a couple of days ago, was appointed special prosecutor to investigate Trump's actions after the events of January 6, 2021, when supporters of the former president stormed the Capitol. His team examined the Republican's attempts to influence the results of the 2020 election.
The aforementioned report asserted that the special counsel's team had gathered enough evidence to secure a conviction. However, the Justice Department's policy of not prosecuting a sitting president made that impossible after Trump's election victory.
The first volume of the document details the Republican's actions aimed at undermining, as it says, "democratic processes." In particular, the Republican allegedly contacted only politicians loyal to him in states where he lost and insisted on changing the election results. These actions were accompanied by his public statements about allegedly widespread violations, which, as Smith emphasizes, were "patently false."
The report also said prosecutors considered charging the billionaire with sedition but decided against it due to legal risks and a lack of evidence of his direct intent to provoke violence.
It is worth noting that after the report was published, Trump called Smith a “failed prosecutor” and accused him of political motivation. He claimed the case was an attempt to undermine his election campaign, but his election victory demonstrated undeniable support from voters.
In response, Jack Smith, who has since completed his tenure at the Justice Department, said his team had been guided solely by the facts and the law, despite accusations of political bias. He also expressed confidence that the Republican would have been convicted if he had not won the presidential election.
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