The indictment alleges a scheme to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
Former president Donald Trump has been charged with conspiring to defraud the United States, conspiring to obstruct an official proceeding, obstructing a congressional proceeding and conspiracy against rights in connection with what prosecutors allege was a plan to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. Here’s what that means.
What are the charges?
Conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government: Conspiracy is a catchall crime covering any scheme between two or more people to break federal law or defraud the U.S. government. Conspiracies don’t need to be successful to be criminal, and perpetrators can be held responsible if they join the conspiracy at any stage.
In this case, prosecutors allege Trump conspired with six others to “overturn the legitimate results of the 2020 presidential election.” The co-conspirators are not named — nor are they charged — but five of the six descriptions match attorneys Rudolph Giuliani, John Eastman, Sidney Powell and Kenneth Cheseboro and Justice Department official Jeffrey Clark. The sixth is described as a political consultant.
The indictment says Trump attempted to overturn the election results in myriad ways: by pushing state officials in certain swing states that broke for Biden to ignore the results and take steps to make Trump the winner; by organizing slates of “fake electors” who falsely certified that Trump had won seven states; by pushing the Justice Department to endorse the false claims of election fraud; by pressuring Vice President Mike Pence to change the election results; and by exploiting the violent riot on Jan. 6 to try to keep lawmakers from confirming of Biden’s victory.
Prosecutors will have to prove deceit was used to undermine or interfere with the work of the federal government. The indictment repeatedly says that Trump knew his fraud claims were false, having been told by campaign staff, White House officials and state government representatives that there was no evidence for them.
