Staff Reports
In a shocking turn of events, special counsel Jack Smith has released the names of six people who may have helped former President Donald Trump try to change the results of the 2020 election. Smith has brought many charges against Trump, including conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstructing an official process. The indictment says that Trump asked these people to "help him in his criminal efforts to overturn the legitimate results of the 2020 presidential election and stay in power."
Donald Trump indictment: Who are the six co-conspirators in Jack Smith Jan. 6 case? https://t.co/5LYiXnfj9B
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) August 2, 2023
Rudy Giuliani, who used to be mayor of New York City and is now Trump's lawyer, is the first person named as a possible conspirator. In the indictment, Giuliani is accused of spreading false information on purpose and following plans that even Trump's own lawyers wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole. Giuliani didn't seem to leave any stone unturned in his attempt to change the election results. He presented cases of claimed election fraud in battleground states and made false claims about ballot stuffing and surveillance video clips.
Next up is attorney John Eastman, who is accused of coming up with a plan to use Vice President Mike Pence's part in the certification process to stop the presidential election from being certified. Eastman's notes suggested that Pence could go against the Electoral Count Act to help Trump, and the indictment says that Trump and Eastman put pressure on Pence to reject the electoral votes at a meeting just days before the certification. What a way to put the "vice" in "vice president"!
Sidney Powell, another lawyer, is also on the list of people who are suspected of being in on the plot. Powell filed a case in Georgia, saying that "massive fraud" had happened with Dominion Voting Systems machines. The accusation says that even though Trump privately said Powell's claims sounded "crazy," he supported and spread her false information in public. It looks like Trump knew when he saw a good conspiracy idea.
Jeffrey Clark, who used to work for the Justice Department, is said to have tried to use the DOJ as a way to start fake probes into election crimes and try to sway state legislatures by making false claims of election fraud. Trump even thought about making Clark the next Attorney General instead of Jeff Rosen, who was in charge at the time. Clark even wrote a letter from the DOJ to state officials saying that there had been "significant irregularities" in state polls, which was not true. It's easy to see why Trump had a hard time replacing Bill Barr.
Kenneth Chesebro, an attorney, is the fifth person named as a co-conspirator. He is said to have helped make and push for a crooked plan to stop Biden electors' votes from being counted and certified. Chesebro had six competitive states and then New Mexico in mind. What a grumpy loser!
The identity of the sixth and last person named as a conspirator is still unknown. The indictment says that they are a political consultant who helped carry out a plan to stop the certification process by submitting fake lists of presidential voters. The story keeps going!
Overall, it seems like these accused conspirators went to great lengths to help Trump in his desperate efforts to stay in power. What some people will do for their political hero is really amazing. But hey, I guess all's fair in love and politics when you're determined to change the results of an election.
