As if life wasn’t already bad enough for the disgraced, one-term, twice-impeached former guy, ex-President Donald Trump was just effectively hit with what will likely go down in history as one of the most brutal blows against him, as a federal judge ruled today that Trump “more likely than not” committed felony obstruction as part of his alleged criminal conspiracy to attempt to illegally obstruct Congress through his efforts to overthrow the 2020 presidential election on January 6th, 2020, according to a new report from POLITICO.
U.S. District Court Judge David Carter wrote in his ruling, “Based on the evidence, the Court finds it more likely than not that President Trump corruptly attempted to obstruct the Joint Session of Congress on January 6, 2021.”
This development came on the heels of Judge Carter’s recent historic ruling, in which he rejected Trump ally and attorney John Eastman’s desperate efforts to shield his email correspondence through attorney-client privilege, and instead ordered that the 101 emails be released and turned over to the January 6th House Select Committee that’s currently investigating the events and actions leading up to, surrounding, and on the day of the infamous Capitol attack.
Carter says that Eastman was personally involved in the creation of a plan to overthrow the election — one that not only was Donald Trump deeply involved in as well but was of the full knowledge that the plan was not legal. The judge notes that despite this knowledge, he pushed forward anyway with a plan that Carter says would have altered American democracy as we know it.
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“If Dr. Eastman and President Trump’s plan had worked, it would have permanently ended the peaceful transition of power, undermining American democracy and the Constitution,” Carter wrote in his decision. “If the country does not commit to investigating and pursuing accountability for those responsible, the Court fears January 6 will repeat itself.”
“Our nation was founded on the peaceful transition of power, epitomized by George Washington laying down his sword to make way for democratic elections,” Carter’s 144-page ruling reads. “Ignoring this history, President Trump vigorously campaigned for the Vice President to single-handedly determine the results of the 2020 election. With a plan this ‘BOLD,’ President Trump knowingly tried to subvert this fundamental principle.”
POLITICO reports, “The remarkable ruling may be the first in history in which a federal judge determined a president, while in office, appeared to commit a crime. The decision has no direct role in whether Trump will be charged criminally but could increase pressure on the Justice Department and its chief, Attorney General Merrick Garland, to conduct an aggressive investigation that could lead to such charges.”
“Believing the Electoral Count Act was unconstitutional did not give President Trump license to violate it,” Carter’s ruling blisters. “Disagreeing with the law entitled President Trump to seek a remedy in court, not to disrupt a constitutionally-mandated process. And President Trump knew how to pursue election claims in court — after filing and losing more than sixty suits, this plan was a last-ditch attempt to secure the Presidency by any means.”
You can read the full report from POLITICO here.
Featured image via screen capture
