Further igniting the bipartisan conflict in the United States, Trump faces criminal charges for the third time after stepping down. Trump | Election | United States
On August 1st local time, former US President Trump was criminally charged with attempting to overturn the 2020 presidential election results during an investigation by a special prosecutor at the Department of Justice. This is also the third criminal charge he has faced since Trump stepped down in 2021.
As part of the investigation by Jack Smith, the special prosecutor of the US Department of Justice, Trump was charged with four charges in this case, including conspiring to defraud the US government, conspiring to obstruct official proceedings, obstructing and attempting to obstruct official proceedings, and conspiring to infringe on the rights of others.
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This 45 page indictment states that despite his defeat in the 2020 presidential election, Trump remains determined to remain in power. He spread rumors for more than two months after election day, claiming that there were fraudulent activities in the election that could change the results. He also used illegal means to intervene in the vote counting and attempted to overturn the election results. The indictment does not specifically mention six conspirators of Trump, including four lawyers, a US Department of Justice official, and a political advisor.
Bloomberg analysis suggests that charges from Jack Smith's office often lead to up to 20 years in prison. But in this case, if Trump is convicted, he may actually face a punishment lower than the maximum penalty because he has no relevant criminal record. Special Prosecutor Jack Smith stated at a press conference that the Office of the Special Prosecutor will seek a "speedy trial".
![Further igniting the bipartisan conflict in the United States, Trump faces criminal charges for the third time after stepping down. Trump | Election | United States](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/c56094674aee9bef4a77ad1e9d09672a.jpg)
On August 1st, Trump lawyer John Lauro stated in a media interview that the new charges were "pure political manipulation" and stated that it was a move to "change the rules of the game.". Earlier that day, Trump had previously posted a warning on his self created social media platform that Jack Smith would be charged and that the prosecution had engaged in "improper behavior.".
Previously, Trump had been criminally charged twice for "sealing fees" and "improper handling of classified documents", but he stated that he was "not guilty" in both cases. Trump is expected to appear in court in Washington on August 3rd Eastern Time.
![Further igniting the bipartisan conflict in the United States, Trump faces criminal charges for the third time after stepping down. Trump | Election | United States](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/7bdbb91b4c686f2ff250d5949dc88a63.jpg)
The Trump criminal case has once again become a tool of party struggle
Trump has once again been criminally charged, further igniting partisan disputes between the Democratic and Republican parties. The intensification of party disputes also reflects the political polarization and social fragmentation in the United States.
![Further igniting the bipartisan conflict in the United States, Trump faces criminal charges for the third time after stepping down. Trump | Election | United States](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/8daec860ba4999ef9b4ad5bdbd6a699f.jpg)
Democrats emphasize that the prosecution of Trump was carried out in accordance with the law, in response to his third criminal charge.
Michigan Secretary of State and Democrat Joslyn Benson: These allegations, which are of historical significance, are based on a comprehensive investigation and I believe they were made in accordance with the law. Secondly, these accusations remind us of what we experienced in 2020. A US President attempting to overturn election results led to an unprecedented and unusual congressional riot on January 6, 2021.
![Further igniting the bipartisan conflict in the United States, Trump faces criminal charges for the third time after stepping down. Trump | Election | United States](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/34195539b0fdfefaaca158a8f92c9016.jpg)
Democratic Congressman Benny Thompson: No current or former president can be above the law.
However, in the eyes of Trump and Republicans, the Democratic approach is to weaponize the judiciary and attempt to undermine his campaign. Republican congressman Marjorie Green has issued a statement accusing Jack Smith, the US Department of Justice's special prosecutor, of abusing his power and accusing Trump of "political persecution.".
![Further igniting the bipartisan conflict in the United States, Trump faces criminal charges for the third time after stepping down. Trump | Election | United States](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/87153d57f765618259b1e2297d2f801b.jpg)
Trump's lawyer John Law: Trump has been accused by his political opponents who control the Department of Justice. They use the criminal justice system to scrutinize political opponents during the election campaign.
Reuters and other media outlets have pointed out that Trump has turned accusations into his campaign tactics, portraying himself as a victim and building momentum for the campaign. Polls also show that the support rate for Trump, who is plagued by lawsuits, has increased instead of decreasing. A joint poll recently released by The New York Times and Sienna College showed that Trump's approval rating within the Republican Party is far ahead, surpassing his second ranked competitor by 37 percentage points.
![Further igniting the bipartisan conflict in the United States, Trump faces criminal charges for the third time after stepping down. Trump | Election | United States](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/6e3a1751597de5a57c3bd4edde57c9f2.jpg)
At the same time, Trump's campaign fundraising surged after his first two accusations.
Niall Stanach, Deputy Editor in Chief of the Capitol Hill: As for Trump and the Republican primaries, it is clear that Trump is benefiting from the accusations.
![Further igniting the bipartisan conflict in the United States, Trump faces criminal charges for the third time after stepping down. Trump | Election | United States](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/b507a8d2b15338a45090e17a5df4cca9.jpg)
Regardless of the outcome of the accusations against Trump, some analysts believe that this will further exacerbate political polarization and social fragmentation in the United States.
Former Democratic Congressman Tursey Gabard: This situation will happen more frequently. No matter which political party comes to power, they will say that the previous one did the same, so we can also use law enforcement and the Ministry of Justice to target political opponents.
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