FOCUS ON CAMPAIGN
The revised indictment no longer includes allegations that Trump sought to pressure the US Justice Department as he tried to overturn his election defeat, an apparent effort to keep the prosecution alive after the high court found that Trump could not be prosecuted for that conduct.
It excises a reference to Jeffrey Clark, a senior Trump administration Justice Department official who allegedly sought to aid his attempts to undermine the election results, as a co-conspirator, and to former US Attorney General Bill Barr, who allegedly told Trump his claims of widespread voter fraud were not true.
Bradley Moss, an attorney who specialises in national security, said the revised indictment reflects “a clear effort by the Justice Department to narrow the scope of factual information” to address the Supreme Court’s ruling on immunity.
The revised 36-page indictment, nine pages shorter than the original, hinges on key testimony and evidence from witnesses largely outside the federal government, such as former Arizona House Speaker Rusty Bowers, whom the indictment says was pressured by Trump and a co-conspirator to call a special session to hold a hearing based on bogus assertions of voter fraud.
The case, one of four criminal prosecutions Trump has faced, has been delayed for months while Trump pressed his claim of immunity. The Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision was powered by a conservative majority that includes three justices nominated by Trump.
In May, Trump was convicted by a New York jury of falsifying documents to cover up a hush money payment to a porn star. He is due to be sentenced on Sep 18 although he has asked a judge to delay sentencing until after the Nov 5 election.
Smith’s move came ahead of a Friday deadline for his office and Trump’s lawyers to propose a path forward in the election subversion case following the Supreme Court’s immunity ruling.
Source: CNA
