The US presidential election in 2020 and efforts to prevent the change of power in Washington are still on the minds of the US. The Michigan judiciary is taking action against several supporters of former President Donald Trump for allegedly attempting to influence the outcome of the 2020 election.
16 men and women are accused of secretly meeting in the basement of Republican Party headquarters in Michigan on December 14, 2020 — a few weeks after the election — and signing certificates posing as state voters , as the Justice Department announced on Tuesday (local time). .
“That was a lie. They were not the properly elected and appointed voters — and every one of the defendants knew that,” Attorney General Dana Nessel said in a video message. They allegedly engineered the orchestrated action in the hope and belief that their votes would benefit their preferred candidate, Trump, and not the elected Joe Biden The allegations are about conspiracy to falsify elections and documents.
In the United States, the president is indirectly elected. As the representative of the people, 538 voters cast their ballots according to the results in the 50 states and Washington’s metropolitan district – after the 2020 election, this vote took place on December 14. The vote of the voters is usually a formality. Incumbent Republican Trump doubted Democrat Biden’s victory and refused to admit defeat.
For months, an independent special investigator has been investigating whether there is enough evidence to criminalize Trump in connection with the 2020 election. The latter announced on Tuesday that he expects to be charged. He was told by special counsel that he was the target of the investigation on January 6, 2021 — the day Trump supporters violently stormed the Capitol to prevent Biden’s victory from being confirmed.
Trump accused Democrats on Tuesday evening (local time) of using the US Justice Department as a weapon and trying to influence the upcoming election with a view to possible impeachment. Trump wants to run again for the Republicans in 2024.
If Trump were actually indicted, it would be the second federal and third criminal indictment. The ex-president was charged in mid-June in a federal court in Miami, Florida, for keeping top-secret government documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate after his term in office and failing to return them upon request. Trump pleaded “not guilty”.
It is still uncertain when the process can start. Judge Aileen Cannon in charge announced on Tuesday during a preliminary hearing in Fort Pierce, Florida, that she wanted to issue a written order “immediately”, multiple media reported unanimously.
Trump’s lawyers last week asked for the trial to be postponed, citing the complexity of the case and the fact that their client is a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination. For its part, the US Department of Justice had asked for an extension until December 11, 2023, after the court had previously set August 14. (saw/sda/dpa)
Soource :Watson
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
