Trump’s Third Indictment: A Trivia Twist on the Jan. 6 Capitol Caper

In the grand carnival of American politics, no one dances the legal tango quite like former President Donald Trump. Grab your trivia maracas, and let’s cha-cha into Trump’s Third Indictment, complete with target letters, Capitol capers, and a sprinkle of constitutional conundrums.

1. First Former President to Be Indicted. Three Times.

Trump was indicted on Aug. 1, 2023, for his wide-ranging attempts to overturn the 2020 election. The four-count, 45-page indictment charges the former president with conspiring to defraud the US. Trump is the first former president to be indicted, and he’s done it three times so far! It’s a record, but probably not the one he wanted in the history books.

2. Trump’s Third Indictment: The Target Letter Tango

In the summer of 2023, Trump found a not-so-love letter in his mailbox. Penned by Special Counsel Jack “The Penman” Smith, this target letter was the legal equivalent of “Surprise, you’re it!” It’s like a game of tag but with subpoenas.

3. The Trio of Trouble

The target letter listed three potential charges, including conspiracy to defraud the United States and violating section 241 of the US legal code. The last one’s a legal jab – it means conspiring to violate civil rights, such as voting rights.

4. The Pence Pressure Cooker

These charges weren’t just pulled from a magician’s hat. They’re related to Trump’s pressure on officials, including his former VP, Mike “Fly Guy” Pence.

5. The Fake Electors Fiasco

Part of the case focuses on the so-called fake electors scheme. The former president tried to use these fake slates in a conspiracy to stop congressional certification of Joe Biden’s election win on Jan. 6, 2021. It’s like Monopoly, but with democracy.

6. The Evidence Extravaganza

The letter also mentioned some of the evidence against Trump, such as his speeches, tweets, phone calls, and meetings with allies. It’s his greatest-hits album of potential legal woes, now available on paper and vinyl!

7. The Security Document Shuffle

In June 2023, Trump was charged with retaining national security materials and obstructing the government’s efforts to retrieve them. In addition to the charges in the classified documents case, Trump faces New York state criminal charges accusing him of falsifying business records concerning a payment to porn star Stormy Daniels to buy her silence before the 2016 election about a sexual encounter she has confirmed, but he denies.

8. Unprecedented Attack on the US Capitol

According to Trump’s third indictment, during his final months in office, the then-president pressured officials with false claims of widespread voter fraud. His supporters attacked the US Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, to stop Congress from certifying Biden’s win. The Capitol attack was unprecedented, with over 1,000 people charged and four police officers killed. It was like Black Friday but with a seditious conspiracy.

9. The Phony Electors and Georgia Jive

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced criminal charges against 16 Trump supporters who allegedly submitted a phony slate of electors to overturn his 2020 defeat in that state. A Georgia prosecutor is investigating a similar effort. Meanwhile, on Jul. 31, 2023, the Georgia Supreme Court rejected Trump’s bid to block an investigation. It’s like a legal dance-off but with more paperwork.

10. Trump’s Lead in Opinion Polls

Despite legal woes, Trump’s lead in opinion polls for 2024 has widened in recent months, proving his voters’ devotion to alternative facts once again. Trump’s federal trial for his alleged election-related crimes is scheduled to start March 4, 2024, just before Super Tuesday, the primary election’s decisive moment.

Sources

We cross-checked our Trump third indictment facts with the world’s leading news outlets.

• AP News: Jan. 6 charges against Trump would add to his mounting legal peril as he campaigns for 2024
• The Guardian: Trump under investigation for civil rights conspiracy in January 6 inquiry
• The New York Times: Potential Trump Charges Include Civil Rights Law Used in Voting Fraud Cases
• Reuters: Trump says he is a target in US 2020 election probe
• Reuters: Trump faces federal charges for efforts to overturn 2020 election
• AP News: Jan. 6 charges against Trump would add to his mounting legal peril as he campaigns for 2024
• CNN: August 1, 2023, Trump indicted in special counsel’s 2020 election interference probe
• NPR: The charges facing Trump in the Jan. 6 investigation explained
• BBC: Donald Trump’s third indictment: Ex-president charged with bid to overturn 2020 election
• The Guardian: Donald Trump faces four charges over efforts to overturn 2020 election ;
• The New York Times: Jan. 6 Riot Was ‘Fueled by Lies’ From Trump, Special Counsel Says