A newly released report by special counsel Jack Smith has concluded that there was sufficient evidence to convict former President Donald Trump for his attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, had he not subsequently won re-election in 2024. The explosive findings, submitted to Attorney General Merrick Garland, provide a detailed account of Trump’s actions following his 2020 defeat.
Evidence of Election Interference Crimes
In the first volume of the report, Smith meticulously outlines the steps Trump took to try to cling to power after losing to Joe Biden in November 2020. The special counsel investigation found substantial evidence that Trump engaged in criminal conduct, including:
- Pressuring state officials to change vote totals
- Assembling fake slates of alternate electors
- Encouraging supporters to protest the election results
Smith asserts in the report that this evidence would have been “sufficient to obtain and sustain a conviction” against Trump in a criminal trial, if not for his political comeback and return to the White House in January 2025. The Justice Department policy against indicting a sitting president made it impossible for prosecutors to move forward with the case once Trump regained power.
“Indeed, but for Mr. Trump’s election and imminent return to the presidency, the office assessed that the admissible evidence was sufficient to obtain and sustain a conviction at trial.”
– Special Counsel Jack Smith
Second Volume Remains Under Seal
While the first volume dealing with election interference was made public, the second volume of Smith’s report focusing on Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified documents remains under seal. The sensitive nature of the documents case and ongoing legal proceedings against Trump’s co-defendants prompted the Justice Department to keep those findings confidential for now.
A hearing is scheduled for Thursday to determine whether the second volume will be released to Congress or continue to be withheld from the public eye. The decision could have major implications as Trump begins his second term.
Trump Team Slams ‘Political Hit Job’
In response to the special counsel report, Trump and his legal team swiftly denounced it as a “political hit job” intended to undermine the early days of his renewed presidency. They accused Smith of pursuing a partisan agenda to damage Trump as he retakes the reins of power.
The scathing report has landed like a bombshell in Washington, even as Trump begins to implement his second-term agenda. It raises profound questions about the strength of American democracy and the accountability of even the nation’s highest officeholder. Though Trump may have escaped prosecution, the special counsel findings will forever cast a dark cloud over his 2024 victory and return to the Oval Office.
