The Jan. 6 case against Trump: He knew he was lying
CBC
An epochal moment in American history has now produced another involving Donald Trump's unprecedented role, in an unprecedented event.
The storming of the U.S. Capitol, on Jan. 6, 2021, in a mob attempt to undo an election result, has resulted in charges against the former president.
One need only look at Trump's strong score in recent opinion polls to draw skepticism that any of this makes a difference, that it weakens him in any way.
After all, these aren't the first charges against Trump. That happened in New York, where the state indicted him over hidden payments to Stormy Daniels.
And these arguably aren't the most legally perilous cases. The charges involving his alleged hoarding, showing off and lying about classified documents carry longer prison penalties.
But these are very likely the most politically significant.
This case involves the most elemental functioning of American elections, right as the country embarks on a new election, with Trump a serious contender.
Special counsel Jack Smith sought to underscore the gravity as he unsealed a four-count indictment for conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, conspiracy against rights, and obstruction.
"An unprecedented assault on the seat of American democracy," is how Smith described the events of Jan. 6, 2021.
"It was fuelled by lies. Lies by the defendant."
That famous defendant is scheduled to appear in a Washington, D.C., courtroom, on Thursday afternoon.
One of the more attention-grabbing details of the 45-page charge sheet is the news that former Vice-President Mike Pence was taking notes as Trump pressed him, repeatedly, to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
Trump fumed at Pence's refusal to do so and told him, on Jan. 1, 2021, according to the indictment: "You're too honest."
In another exchange involving Pence on Jan. 4, Trump's own lawyer allegedly told him his plans were impossible.
