Donald Trump Charged With Conspiracy Over 2020 Election, January 6

Former president and 2024 presidential candidate Donald Trump has been charged with his third criminal indictment in four months, this one in connection with the 2020 election and the Jan. 6 riot. 

The Charges: This indictment contains four single-count charges: Conspiracy to Defraud the United States, Conspiracy to Obstruct an Official Proceeding, Obstruction of and Attempt to Obstruct an Official Proceeding, and Conspiracy Against Rights.

Key Quotes: The indictment from the Department of Justice states that after losing the 2020 election, Trump was “determined to remain in power.” The document alleges that Trump “pursued unlawful means of discounting legitimate votes and subverting the election results,” including, “a conspiracy to defraud the United States by using dishonesty, fraud, and deceit to impair, obstruct, and defeat the lawful federal government function by which the results of the presidential election are collected, counted, and certified by the federal government,” “a conspiracy to corruptly obstruct and impede the January 6 congressional proceeding at which the collected results of the presidential election are counted and certified,” and “a conspiracy against the right to vote and to have one's vote counted.”

How the Media Covered It: The indictment is being covered heavily across the spectrum, with coverage noting how this could impact the 2024 election. The Associated Press’ (Lean Left bias) coverage stated the charges are “sure to be dismissed by the former president and his supporters — and even some of his rivals — as just another politically motivated prosecution.”