Potential Key Witness Testimony Investigation into Trump's involvement in Federal Criminal Cases | New York Times | Federal
According to the New York Times on the 6th, Mark Meadows, the last White House Chief of Staff under former Republican President Donald Trump, has testified as a potential key witness in the US Department of Justice's criminal investigation against Trump.
Special Prosecutor Jack Smith was appointed by the Department of Justice to lead an investigation into Trump's role in the January 6, 2021 Capitol Hill riots, as well as his improper handling of confidential documents when he stepped down as President. Two insiders have disclosed to The New York Times that a federal grand jury has heard testimony from Meadows to investigators.
The report states that it is currently unclear which specific time Meadows testified and which investigation his testimony is related to.
In the past few months, several witnesses related to Trump have taken turns providing testimony to the Smith team, but Meadows has remained low-key. The report stated that this has left people around Trump both confused and worried. Some of Trump's advisors have determined that Meadows may have become a significant witness in two investigations.
Regarding the investigation into the Capitol Hill riots, Meadows submitted hundreds of textual information to the Special Committee of the House of Representatives investigating the riots. Some of them show that Trump attempted to stay in office and prevent Democratic candidate Joseph Biden from taking the oath of office before and after the 2020 presidential election. Meadows later decided not to cooperate with the Special Committee, but the information he provided became the "roadmap" for the House investigation.
Regarding the investigation of the "confidential matter scandal", Meadows also has insider knowledge because he was one of the personnel entrusted by Trump to handle relevant documents and archives when he stepped down. Insiders have revealed that Meadows has attempted to discuss relevant matters with Trump.
In addition, investigators have recently discovered a potential key audio evidence in the "confidential scandal", indicating that Trump was interviewed by two individuals in July 2021, during which he hinted that a document he held should have been declassified during his tenure. The New York Times reported that this recording is expected to overturn Trump's claim that all documents he claimed to have held since stepping down have been declassified.
The above two individuals interviewed Trump in order to assist Meadows in writing a memoir of his White House career, and Meadows is therefore also associated with this evidence.