(C) Common Dreams
This story was originally published by Common Dreams and is unaltered.
. . . . . . . . . .



Breaking down the 88 charges Trump faces in his four indictments [1]

['Derek Hawkins', 'Nick Mourtoupalas']

Date: 2023-08-03 20:46:46.264000+00:00

Breaking down the 88 charges Trump faces in his four indictments

Former president Donald Trump faces a total of 88 charges across four criminal cases. They include 44 federal charges and 44 state charges, all of them felonies. Trump has denied wrongdoing in each case. FEDERAL Jan. 6 election case Classified documents case 40 4 Latest charges STATE N.Y. falsifying business records case 34 Georgia 2020 election case 10 Latest charges Jan. 6 election case Classified documents case FEDERAL 40 4 N.Y. falsifying business records case Georgia 2020 election case STATE 34 10 Latest charges FEDERAL STATE Jan. 6 election case Classified documents case N.Y. falsifying business records case Georgia 2020 election case 40 34 10 4 Latest charges The most severe federal counts are those related to obstruction, which is punishable by up to 20 years imprisonment. Defendants, however, rarely receive the maximum sentences, and it is uncertain if Trump would be incarcerated even if he were found guilty in any of the cases.

Here is a breakdown of the charges:

10 charges in the Georgia election interference case

1 Racketeering 1 Soliciting or impersonating a public officer 8 counts Related to forgery or false statements and documents 1 Racketeering 8 counts Related to forgery or false statements and documents 1 Soliciting or impersonating a public officer

The Fulton County, Ga., district attorney charged Trump and 18 others in connection with efforts to reverse his 2020 election loss in the state.

What do the charges mean?

The most sweeping charge in this case is Trump’s alleged violation of Georgia’s powerful anti-racketeering law. This law allows prosecutors to charge a large group of people in a complex web of potential crimes. The indictment says Trump and others were part of a criminal enterprise that refused to accept his election loss and conspired to change the outcome.

The remaining counts — soliciting or impersonating a public officer, forgery, false statements and false documents — involve the plot to appoint fake electors, as well as the bevy of false voter fraud claims Trump and others made as they allegedly tried to subvert the election. Read more about the individual charges.

Four charges in the federal Jan. 6 election case

1 count Conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government 1 Conspiracy against civil rights 2 Obstruction 1 count Conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government 1 Conspiracy against civil rights 2 Obstruction

Federal prosecutors are investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol and efforts by Trump and his allies to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.

What do the charges mean?

Conspiracy is a broad legal term meaning two or more people plotted to break the law and then took steps to do so. A conspiracy does not have to be successful to amount to a crime.

In this case, Trump and a group of alleged co-conspirators — unnamed but many identifiable through prosecutors’ descriptions — are accused of scheming to reverse the election results and keep Trump in power. The three conspiracy counts relate to the myriad ways they allegedly tried to accomplish that goal. The fourth count, attempting to obstruct an official proceeding, arises from Trump’s attempt to stop Congress from certifying Joe Biden’s win. Read more about the individual charges.

Advertisement

40 charges in the classified documents case

32 counts Willful retention of national defense information Each corresponds to one classified document Added in superceding indictment after initial charges filed in June 2 False statements 6 Related to obstruction, withholding or altering documents 32 counts Willful retention of national defense information 2 False statements 6 Related to obstruction, withholding or altering documents Added in superceding indictment after initial charges filed in June Each corresponds to one classified document

Federal prosecutors charged Trump with illegally hoarding classified documents from his presidency and conspiring with aides to cover up his actions.

What do the charges mean?

Each of the first 32 counts relates to a different classified document that prosecutors say Trump illegally kept after he left the White House. Some of the documents contained military intelligence and other sensitive information that could harm national security if exposed, according to prosecutors. The other charges involve Trump’s alleged attempts to hide the documents from investigators and delete Mar-a-Lago security footage. Read more about the individual charges.

Advertisement

34 charges in the falsifying business records case

Each represents an alleged misclassified campaign expense Each represents an alleged misclassified campaign expense

The Manhattan district attorney charged Trump with falsifying business records in connection with hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 election.

What do the charges mean?

These are essentially bookkeeping charges. Each involves a separate instance in which prosecutors allege that Trump misclassified campaign expenses as legal expenses. Falsifying business records is a misdemeanor in New York but can be charged as a felony when prosecutors believe there is an “intent to defraud” that includes an intent to “commit another crime or to aid or conceal” a crime. Read more about the individual charges.

[END]
---
[1] Url: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/trump-charges-jan-6-classified-documents/

Published and (C) by Common Dreams
Content appears here under this condition or license: Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 3.0..

via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds:
gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/commondreams/