A new report has revealed that former President Donald Trump’s actions are being investigated by the Justice Department as part of a criminal probe of efforts to “overturn 2020 election.”
Trump’s role in the January 6 events that took place at the Capitol are also being examined by the department.
The Washington Post reported, “prosecutors who are questioning witnesses before a grand jury — including two top aides to Vice President Mike Pence — have asked in recent days about conversations with Trump, his lawyers, and others in his inner circle who sought to substitute Trump allies for certified electors from some states Joe Biden won.”
Breaking news: The Justice Department is investigating President Donald Trump’s actions as part of its criminal probe of efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, according to four people familiar with the matter. https://t.co/mcjN3EhmAO pic.twitter.com/uqIlRgEhcK
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) July 26, 2022
“The prosecutors have asked hours of detailed questions about meetings Trump led in December 2020 and January 2021; his pressure campaign on Pence to overturn the election; and what instructions Trump gave his lawyers and advisers about fake electors and sending electors back to the states, the people said,” the Post reported.
They continue on to say, “some of the questions focused directly on the extent of Trump’s involvement in the fake-elector effort led by his outside lawyers, including John Eastman and Rudy Giuliani, these people said.”
According to the report, the Justice Department has been given phone records of former administrative staff back in April, which included Mark Meadows, Trump’s former chief of staff.
Also, both Mike Pence’s former chief of staff, Marc Short, and lawyer, Greg Jacob, have appeared before a DC grand jury “in recent days.”
In the entire history of the United States, no former president has been charged with a crime.
Attorney General Merrick Garland stated in an interview with Lester Holt that Trump announcing a 2024 campaign will not impact any investigation.
EXCLUSIVE: @LesterHoltNBC presses AG Merrick Garland on the Jan 6 investigation
Garland pledges to hold accountable anyone "criminally responsible for the events surrounding Jan 6, for any attempt to interfere with the lawful transfer of power from one administration to another" pic.twitter.com/1J041nB5eH
— NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt (@NBCNightlyNews) July 26, 2022
“We intend to hold everyone, anyone, who is criminally responsible for the events surrounding Jan. 6 — for any attempt to interfere with the lawful transfer of power from one administration to another — accountable,” Garland said. “That’s what we do.”
