Former U.S. President Donald Trump provides remarks at the America First Policy Institute America First Agenda Summit in Washington, July 26, 2022.
Sarah Silbiger|Reuters
The Department of Justice is examining previous President Donald Trump’s actions leading up to theJan 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol as part of its criminal probe of efforts to reverse the 2020 election results, an administration authorities acquainted with the examination stated.
The query is connected to the department’s more comprehensive probe of efforts reverse the 2020 election results and not a criminal examination of Trump himself, the authorities stated.
The Washington Post initially reported that the Justice Department was examining Trump’s actions leading up toJan 6, pointing out 4 individuals acquainted with the matter, whom it did not name. The department decreased to talk about the examination.
NBC News has actually connected to a representative for Trump for remark.
The Post, pointing out 2 individuals acquainted with the matter, reported that district attorneys have actually asked witnesses prior to a grand jury about discussions withTrump Some of the concerns concentrated on replacing Trump allies for electors in states President Joe Biden won and on a pressure project on then-Vice President Mike Pence to reverse the election, the paper reported.
The Post likewise reported that the Justice Department has actually gotten phone records of assistants that consist of previous Trump chief of personnel MarkMeadows The Department of Justice, a representative for Trump, and a legal representative for Meadows did not react to the Post’s ask for remark. NBC News has actually not verified the information of the Post’s report about the DOJ’s line of questioning or the phone records.
U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland stated an interview that aired on NBC Nightly News Tuesday that “anyone” would be held liable.
“We will hold accountable anyone who was criminally responsible for attempting to interfere with the transfer, legitimate, lawful transfer of power from one administration to the next,” Garland informed NBC Nightly News’ Lester Holt.
More than 850 individuals throughout all 50 states have actually been detained in connection with the attack on the U.S. Capitol onJan 6, 2021, as Congress was officially counting the electoral votes that revealed Biden had actually won, according to authorities.
The HouseJan 6 committee has actually been airing hearings and interviews about the actions that led up to that day and the actions Trump took, or did not take, as it unfolded.
Last month it was exposed that members of Trump’s group challenged the 2020 election by arranging slates of option “fake electors” in 7 critical states.
Fake electors sent incorrect accreditations of Trump success to the National Archives in hopes of having then-Vice President Mike Pence replace them for the real electoral votes that made Biden president, according to statement and files provided at a June hearing of the committee.
Garland stated in the NBC News interview that aired Tuesday that the Justice Department is performing “the most wide ranging investigation in its history.”
Marc Short, Pence’s previous chief of personnel, appeared Friday prior to a federal grand jury examining theJan 6 attack, a source acquainted with his statement informed NBC News on Monday.
Short was with Pence at the U.S. Capitol throughout theJan 6 attack. He would be the highest-ranking previous Trump administration authorities understood to have actually affirmed prior to the federal grand jury.
Garland stated in the NBC News interview that Trump’s possible candidateship for president in 2024 would not affect the Justice Department examination. Trump has not stated whether he will run once again.
No previous president in U.S. history has actually ever been charged with a criminal offense. Richard Nixon, the only president to resign from workplace, was pardoned already-President GeraldFord Nixon was never ever charged with any criminal activity.
