A special counsel looking into the actions of Donald Trump after the 2020 election has informed the former president that he is the target of a federal investigation for the second time in three months.
On July 18, Trump took to his Truth social media site to announce that he received the letter from Jack Smith, the U.S. Department of Justice’s special counsel in charge of the investigation surrounding the U.S. Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021.
Trump on his Truth social media site wrote
“Deranged Jack Smith, the prosecutor with Joe Biden’s DOJ, sent a letter (again, it was Sunday night!) stating that I am a TARGET of the January 6th Grand Jury investigation, and giving me a very short 4 days to report to the Grand Jury, which almost always means an Arrest and Indictment.”
The Justice Department and Smith did not make a public statement in regards to Trump’s confirmation of receiving the letter.
Target Letters
It is the second time that Trump has received a target letter from Smith. The first letter resulted in the 37 count indictment against Trump for breaching the Espionage Act last month due to his handling of classified documents at his Mar-A-Lago estate.
Target letters are communication from prosecutors to people telling potential witnesses in grand jury investigations that investigators have evidence tying them to crimes. It puts them on notice that they are subject to indictment themselves and can mean an indictment is near.
Jan. 6th Investigation
As for the new target letter, it is unknown what the specific case that the special counsel is pursuing. A grand jury in Washington, DC, has been hearing evidence from a wide group of people in Trump’s circle about his efforts to remain in power after losing the election to Joe Biden in November 2020.
Smith’s investigation has reportedly centered on Trump and those who advocated for his efforts to obstruct the transfer of power, examining multiple schemes the former President and his supporters used to try to have the election overturned.
When the timeline for when Trump could possible be charged is not know. But when Trump received a target letter in the special counsel’s investigation into his handling of classified documents, an indictment was announced about three weeks later.
Trump Legal Woes
Among the more prominent names that have had interaction with the investigation in the last month include Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, who appeared before a grand jury, and Rudy Giuliani, who had a recent interview with prosecutors.
Federal lawyers have reportedly been seeking answers to Trump’s state of mind after the defeat, his fund-raising off his false claims of widespread voter fraud, whether he knew he had lost, and efforts to put together slates of so-called fake electors to cast ballots in support of him Trump when the electoral college tallies were certified Jan. 6.
The target letter is the latest in a series of legal entanglements that Trump has found himself in since leaving office. He was first indicted in April by the Manhattan District Attorney on 34 counts with filing false business records and conspiracy related to paying hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels.
Florida Trial
Trump’s confirmation came on the same day the first pretrial hearing was set in Florida before U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointed judge.
Prosecutors have sought a protective order that would forbid the defense from disclosing any classified material to the public and lay out security rules, including establishing a sensitive compartmentalized information facility, or SCIF, with “a working area for the defense.”
The government said it tried Friday to arrange to speak to Trump’s defense team “in an effort to narrow any disputes” in advance of Tuesday’s hearing, but no such conversation had taken place.
Besides the federal and New York cases, Trump is the subject of a state investigation in Georgia. Fani T. Willis, the district attorney of Fulton County, has lead an investigation into whether Trump and his allies interfered in the 2020 election in Georgia. Willis has reportedly eyed making an indictment surroundings her findings this Summer.
2024 Frontrunner
Despite his legal issues, Trump continues to be the GOP frontrunner for the party’s 2024 Presidential nomination. Latest polls show him with a lead of as much as 30 points over the field—one that has grown each time he goes to court.
Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy said the Biden Administration was “(weaponizing) the government to go after their No. 1 opponent. It’s time and time again. I think the American public is tired of this.”
Gov. Ron DeSantis commented that “I think it was shown how he was in the White House and didn’t do anything while things were going on. He should have come out more forcefully…but to try to criminalize that that’s a different issue entirely.”
But other Republicans running for the nomination have been more negative towards Trump. Chris Christie has made Trump’s actions a centerpiece of his campaign. Former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson reiterated his call for Trump to suspend his campaign, while Nikki Haley called the letter a “distraction…we can’t keep dealing with this drama.”
If I ever get pulled over for speeding I’m going to immediately declare my candidacy for president so I can call it a witch hunt.
Seriously though, the “lock her up” crowd who had no problem with a POTUS blackmailing a foreign government to dig up dirt on his political opponent and support the same guy as he promises, in no uncertain terms, to remove agency independence at the DOJ so he can weaponize it for “revenge” can cry a river.
While Republican darling Elon Musk openly calls for a new Sulla (his own words), what we need desperately are Ciceros and some Catos.
THe entire democratic part apparatus has dreamed up this Jan 6 “insurrection ” as a giant politicized hoax and they have used it much in the style of a Soviet show trial , to malign discredit cancel and intimidate their political opposition.
Trump did not “blackmail” anyone. Only in the derange fever dreams of a progressive liberal clueless ideologue could the Jan6 demonstration be remotely imagined to be an “insurrection” .
If there are any “Sulla” about they are on the dem/progressive side ; part of the BLM (political) movement or the “pride” ( political ) movement.
These ostensibly marxist revolutionary movements have one objective :power.
Sadly mr Cicero has been so blinded by tribalism and trump derangement syndrome that he cant see this.
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
You are correct that tRump is deranged. How many more times will you blame cities, States, Federal Gov’t, DOJ, Capitol PD, Prosecutors, Dems, Hillary, Obama, Blacks & everyone but tRump? Don’t answer, it’s rhetorical. It’s too uncomfortable for you at this point, so you’ll defend the loser to your grave like the rest of the cult.
YO! AND; What we’ve got here is a failure to communicate!! Since this Quote, “about his efforts to remain in power after losing the election to Joe Biden in November 2020.”; It’s very subjective!! Since, many believe that the Election was rigged & was Stolen from then President Donald Trump!! AND; This looks like a resurgence of that long ago bygone Era of McCarthyisms!! Back then, No One was safe from persecutions!! NOW; We’re seeing History repeating itself.. This is Not good, it shows the country regressing while unwilling to face it’s in deep trouble!! Now comes a Finger pointings to shift all focus off them & off an impotent white House!!//