Donald Trump was on Tuesday night criminally charged with trying to “defraud the United States” over the riot at the US Capitol on Jan 6, 2021.
It is the most serious legal threat yet to the former president as he attempts to return to the White House in 2024.
Mr Trump said the charges showed he was being “persecuted” by political opponents in a manner “reminiscent of Nazi Germany”.
He was charged with four counts – conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding, and conspiracy against rights.
The charges were detailed in a 45-page indictment brought by special counsel Jack Smith, who was appointed by US Attorney General Merrick Garland.
Mr Smith said the riot was an “unprecedented assault on the seat of American democracy.”
He said: “It was fueled by lies. Lies by the defendant. Targeted at obstructing a bedrock function of the US government, the nation’s process of collecting, counting and certifying the results of the presidential election.”
Mr Smith added that he would seek a “speedy trial” in the case.
According to the indictment Mr Trump’s claims that he won the 2020 election were “false” and “the defendant knew they were false”.
It said Mr Trump “widely disseminated them anyway” to create an “intense national atmosphere of mistrust and anger.”
Mr Trump was “determined to remain in power,” it said.
The former president is due in court on Thursday before US District Judge Tanya Chutkan.
Mr Trump remains the clear frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.
‘Persecution’ like Nazi Germany, says Trump
In a statement his campaign said: “The lawlessness of these persecutions of President Trump and his supporters is reminiscent of Nazi Germany in the 1930s, the former Soviet Union, and other authoritarian, dictatorial regimes.
“These un-American witch hunts will fail and President Trump will be re-elected to the White House.”
Minutes before the indictment was handed down Mr Trump posted on his Truth Social that “Deranged Jack Smith, in order to interfere with the Presidential Election of 2024, will be putting out yet another Fake Indictment of your favourite President.”
On Jan 6, 2021 supporters of Mr Trump attacked the US Capitol in an attempt to stop Congress from certifying Joe Biden’s victory.
Before the attack Mr Trump told supporters near the White House to march to the Capitol and “fight like hell” to “stop the steal”.
More than 1,000 people have since been charged with crimes related to the riot.
It was the third indictment brought against Mr Trump.
He pleaded not guilty after he was charged in June with 37 counts relating to unlawful retention of classified government documents.
He has also pleaded not guilty to 34 counts accusing him of falsifying business records over a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels.
https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiZGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnRlbGVncmFwaC5jby51ay93b3JsZC1uZXdzLzIwMjMvMDgvMDIvZG9uYWxkLXRydW1wLWluZGljdGVkLTIwMjAtdXMtZWxlY3Rpb24tamFjay1zbWl0aC_SAQA?oc=5
2023-08-02 06:19:00Z
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