After months of anticipation, Donald Trump was indicted on Wednesday on four counts covering charges by Special Counsel Jack Smith regarding his role in the January 6th Republican-led domestic terrorist attack on Congress in his attempt to undermine the 2020 election results. It's the third set of criminal charges Trump has been hit with in the past year, following charges leveled in Manhattan and previously by Smith. Read the 45-page indictment here.
The new charges bring the total number of criminal counts Trump faces on local, state and federal levels to 78, with charges stemming from his interference in the Georgia election still outstanding. Pundits expected charges on defrauding the United States, obstruction of justice and depravation of rights for Trump's efforts to throw out states' Electoral College slates of electors.
Obama appointee, Judge Tanya S. Chutkan, has been appointed to the case.
UPDATE 5:57 p.m. ET: The statement from the Trump Campaign:
This is nothing more than the latest corrupt chapter in the continued pathetic attempt by the Biden Crime Family and their weaponized Department of Justice to interfere with the 2024 Presidential Election, in which President Trump is the undisputed frontrunner, and leading by substantial margins.
But why did they wait two and a half years to bring these fake charges, right in the middle of President Trump's winning campaign for 2024? Why was it announced the day after the big Crooked Joe Biden scandal broke out from the Halls of Congress?
The answer is, election interference! The lawlessness of these persecutions of President Trump and his supporters is reminiscent of Nazi Germany in the 1930s, the former Soviet Union, and other authoritarian, dictatorial regimes. President Trump has always followed the law and the Constitution, with advice from many highly accomplished attorneys.
These un-American witch hunts will fail and President Trump will be re-elected to the White House so he can save our Country from the abuse, incompetence, and corruption that is running through the veins of our Country at levels never seen before.
Three years ago we had strong borders, energy independence, no inflation, and a great economy. Today, we are a nation in decline. President Trump will not be deterred by disgraceful and unprecedented political targeting!
Update 6:36 p.m. ET: Trump attorney John Lauro on Fox: "No sitting president has ever been criminally charged for his views, for taking a position." [Problem 1: He's not a sitting president. Problem 2: He's not being charged with taking a position.] "By the way, is there any doubt there's two system of justice in the United States. Was Hillary Clinton prosecuted for the Russian hoax? Were those individuals who said don't worry about the Biden laptop because it's just Russian disinformation, are they being prosecuted? No! Only one person in America is being prosecuted for his political belief."
Update 6:47 p.m. ET: John Eastman's lawyer confirms to NBC he is Co-conspirator 2.