Former President Donald Trump has revealed that he is a target of the criminal investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 election, according to a social media post. Trump claims to have received a letter from special counsel Jack Smith, who is leading the investigation. The letter reportedly gives Trump four days to report to the grand jury, indicating that an arrest and indictment may be imminent. Trump’s legal team has not yet responded to the invitation to testify before the grand jury, but it is expected that he will decline to do so. Trump’s advisers are now trying to determine if anyone else has received a target letter, in order to gain insight into the potential criminal case against him.
During a Fox News town hall in Iowa, Trump referred to Smith’s probe as “election interference” and a “disgrace.” He has also started fundraising off of the target letter. This is not the first time Trump has received a target letter from Smith. In May, he received one in relation to the mishandling of classified documents. Trump has already been indicted twice this year, once by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and once by Smith.
It is worth noting that target letters are not required by law, but prosecutors have the discretion to send them to individuals who have become targets of an investigation. The fact that Trump has received a target letter suggests that an indictment could follow. While the specific reasons for the target letter were not disclosed, individuals who receive such letters are typically given the opportunity to appear before a grand jury to present evidence or testify.
Trump has been compartmentalizing the news and spent Monday at his Bedminster golf club with his advisers. He is now traveling to Iowa with a small group of his campaign team for a town hall with Fox News’ Sean Hannity. Trump has also reached out to top allies on Capitol Hill, including House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, to strategize how to go on the offensive against the special counsel’s investigation.
Smith’s investigation is focused on efforts to overturn the 2020 election, including the January 6 attack on the US Capitol. It also encompasses fake electors, pressure on then-Vice President Mike Pence, Trump’s knowledge of his election loss, pressure within the Justice Department, fundraising efforts, and a chaotic December 2020 Oval Office meeting where seizing voting machines and invoking martial law were discussed. The grand jury is currently hearing from witnesses, and Trump adviser Will Russell is expected to appear on Thursday.
Numerous witnesses, including top aides to Trump and Pence, have already spoken to prosecutors and testified before the grand jury. Bernard Kerik, a former New York City police commissioner and friend of Trump’s former attorney Rudy Giuliani, is also in talks to sit down with Smith’s team. Several Trump lawyers have also spoken to federal investigators, including Giuliani himself.
Original Story at www.cnn.com – 2023-07-19 02:37:00