TRUMP FACES NEW CHARGES OF OBSTRUCTING JUSTICE, ORDERING VIDEOS DESTROYED

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By Miriam Raftery

July 28, 2023 (Miami, FL) – Special Prosecutor Jack Smith has issued an updated indictment in the classified documents case against former President Donald Trump. It adds new charges alleging that Trump ordered a staffer to delete surveillance video at  his Mar-a-Lago estate to coverup evidence of crimes, after Trump learned that the U.S. Department of Justice was seeking the video during its investigation. Read the new indictment.

The revised indictment also charges a new defendant, Carlos DeOliveira, the head of maintenance at Mar-a-Lago. Prosecutors allege that Trump spoke with Oliveira and his valet, Walt Nauta, and that the two employees then told a third employee to delete the security footage because “the boss” wanted the videos destroyed. However, the third employee reportedly balked at destroying evidence and has not been charged; he may be a cooperating witness.

The indictment charges Trump, Nauta and Oliveira with violating two federal laws in an attempt to destroy evidence, which suggests that the video was not destroyed and may be shown to jurors. Those statutes make it illegal to corruptly destroy or tamper with a record to impair its use in an official proceeding, and to corruptly try and persuade someone else to alter or destroy evidence.

Oliveira is also charged with lying to the FBI, when he previously claimed to know nothing about boxes delivered to Mar-a-Lago from the White House. But prosecutors accuse him of personally observing and helping to move those boxes.

Trump reportedly also called Oliveira and offered to get a lawyer for him.

Trump faces a total of 40 charges in the documents case. Currently a candidate for the presidency, he has called the charges “harassment” and “election interference,” ironic given that federal and state grand juries are investigating allegations that Trump spearheaded election interference efforts. By contrast, 62 judges including some appointed by Trump found no evidence of any stolen election or election interference on behalf of Joe Biden, the winner in the 2020 election.

If Trump is shown to have ordered destruction of evidence, the case would bear a remarkable similarity to Watergate, when President Richard Nixon was forced to resign after revelations that he ordered incriminating audio tapes destroyed  Nixon was later pardoned by his successor, President Gerald Ford.

Trump, if convicted, could be less fortunate, facing potentially decades in prison on the federal charges in this case alone. His legal strategy appears to be delaying tactics in hopes of postponing the trial until after the 2024 presidential election in hopes that he or another Republican candidate wins office and would be willing to pardon Trump, who also faces federal charges in New York over alleged hush money payments to an adult film star and may soon be indicted by federal prosecutors in Washington D.C. related to the January 6 insurrection and a false electors scheme that involved multiple states.

A Fulton County, Georgia prosecutor is also gearing up to indict Trump on state charges of election interference for pressuring election officials to corruptly change votes.  Barricades have gone up in front of the Georgia courthouse, where an indictment is expected soon. If Trump is convicted in Georgia, he would not be eligible for a pardon federally, nor does Georgia law allow its Governor to issue pardons. 

 


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Comments

Typical one-sided coverage.

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Here we are in the early days of the election and the two leading candidates are now shown to be criminals. It is now clear somebody on Trump’s staff is cooperating. Trump says he would still run even if in prison. He really is irrational. What have we come to if these two are our choices. If you still doubt Joe took millions in bribes via Hunter paying for the mansions and living costs as he said in one email, then you must be asleep or buying the string of lies from the White House and Dems. Someone needs to explain how a politician making a relatively small salary can own several very expensive homes. Probably Joe did not get a bank transfer, but Hunter paid the bills through various LLC’s to hide it all. The full bank records of all the LLCs is what they need to see to follow the money trail. Where did all the money that went to the girls and the grandchildren end up. $17million is a lot to hide. Where is the diamond Hunter got. The truth will come out that Joe has lied about everything related to Hunter and his brother who had huge contracts in Iraq during the Obama administration period. I have seen others do the same game with multiple LLCs when they wanted to hide the money and assets from creditors and the IRS. All of the Biden’s belong in jail including Joe. Garland, Weiss and several other DOJ and maybe IRS officials also possibly need to be prosecuted for obstruction. This makes Watergate look like kindergarten. Now that the full plea deal terms are out, it is more than clear the DOJ was trying to pull off a totally illegal scam on the court and voters. It would have ended the pursuit of Hunter and all that now will come out about Joe. In the end it is similar to Watergate in that the attempted coverup will lead to everything now falling apart. Devan Archer is John Dean. Here is one very possible set of election choices: Newsome and Tim Scott, and if that were to be, then maybe No Labels does not field a candidate. It is way too early to know who will be running, but neither Trump nor Biden will be the candidates. Maybe Joe and Donald can share the presidential cell.

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