A federal judge has unsealed a bombshell 165-page court filing in the ongoing election subversion case against former President Donald Trump, providing a detailed account of his alleged attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election, Al Jazeera reports.
The filing, released on Wednesday, presents an argument by Special Counsel Jack Smith that Trump acted in a private capacity, aiming to stay in power beyond his term, and thus not protected by presidential immunity. It paints a picture of a determined effort by Trump to cling to power despite repeated assurances that his claims of election fraud were unfounded.
Prosecutors allege that Trump, despite being told repeatedly by advisors and staff that there was no evidence of widespread voter fraud, continued to spread false claims and encouraged his allies to “fight” the election results. The filing even details a conversation between Trump and then-Vice President Mike Pence in November 2020, where Pence urged Trump to accept defeat and run again in the next election.
The filing directly addresses the Supreme Court’s earlier ruling that Trump had immunity for his actions as president, stating that the former president “asserts he is immune from prosecution for his criminal scheme… because, he claims, it entailed official conduct.” However, the document argues that Trump’s actions were purely motivated by his desire to retain power, not by any official duty.
The 195-page document highlights numerous instances where advisors informed Trump that his claims of a “rigged” election were unfounded, yet he continued to amplify the false narrative.
This revelation comes just a month before the 2024 election, during which Trump is seeking re-election. The former president has pleaded not guilty to the four criminal charges brought against him in this case, including conspiracy to obstruct congressional proceedings, defraud the US, and interfere with Americans’ voting rights. This indictment is one of four criminal cases against Trump since he left office.
