Donald Trump is once again facing justice. The former president of the United States announced himself to be personally targeted by an investigation into the assault on the Capitol, after receiving a letter from the federal prosecutor, Jack Smith, on Tuesday July 18. This is the third investigation into the election lost by the Republican camp, in November 2020.
On January 6, 2021, supporters of Donald Trump attacked the seat of the United States Congress, while Democrat Joe Biden’s presidential victory was to be endorsed by Democrats and senators together. A policeman and four rioters died during the assault.
Subject to three counts
The former president is targeted by three counts in the context of this investigation: “conspiracy against the American state”, “obstructing an official procedure” and “deprivation of rights”. This last qualification makes it possible to prosecute a person who would try to deprive a citizen of the rights (in particular the right to vote) which are granted to him by the Constitution or the federal laws.
Donald Trump faces respectively five, three and up to 10 years in prison for these facts.
The controversial billionaire is not in his first legal troubles. The first president implicated by federal justice in American history, he has already been charged in a case of confidential White House documents since June. As part of this investigation, he is due to appear on May 20, 2024. He is also under investigation in a case of suspicious payments which would have allowed him to buy the silence of a former porn actress. In both cases, the former Republican president pleaded not guilty.
