Trump pleads not guilty to charges of plotting to overturn 2020 election

Trump pleads not guilty to charges of plotting to overturn 2020 election
Washington: Former US president Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty before an Indian-American judge to the charges accusing him of orchestrating a criminal conspiracy to remain in power despite losing the November 2020 election.

It was Trump’s third court appearance in four months. Trump, who is seeking to contest the 2024 presidential election from the Republican Party, entered the not-guilty plea before Magistrate Judge Moxila A Upadhyaya as he appeared at the courthouse that sits just blocks away from the Capitol, where his angry supporters stormed the US Congress on January 6, 2021.

Wearing a dark blue suit and a red tie, Trump, 77, arrived at the courthouse in a motorcade after he flew in from Bedminster in New Jersey.

The former president was arrested and arraigned on four felony counts outlined in special counsel Jack Smith’s indictment: conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, attempting to obstruct an official proceeding, and conspiracy against rights.

The 45-page indictment was filed in Washington, DC earlier this week by Smith, who has led investigations into the former president on behalf of the US Department of Justice.

“As to counts one to four, how does Mr Trump plead?” Judge Upadhyaya asked the former president in the courtroom. Trump, flanked by his lawyers, said: “Not guilty.”

The former president spoke little during the hearing, answering questions about his name and age, while rarely glancing at prosecutors. When asked whether he understood that his words could be used against him, he replied in the affirmative.

The judge told Trump that he would be released but there are certain conditions that he has to abide by and appear in the court as and when required. Trump’s next scheduled appearance is on August 28 before US District Judge Tanya Chutkan. But he has the option not to appear in person.

“Despite having lost, the defendant was determined to remain in power. So for more than two months following election day on November 3, 2020, the defendant spread lies that there had been outcome-determinative fraud in the election and that he had actually won. These claims were false, and the defendant knew that they were false,” the indictment reads.

The indictment was issued by a grand jury of citizens in the District of Columbia and sets forth the crimes charged in detail. It caps an inquiry into events surrounding the January 6, 2021 riot at the US Capitol.

“The attack on our nation’s capital on January 6, 2021, was an unprecedented assault on the seat of American democracy. As described in the indictment, it was fuelled by lies,” Smith said.

During the tense 27-minute proceeding, Trump was seated just 20 feet from Smith. A significant point of tension during the proceeding was how soon will Trump stand trial.

Thomas Windom, the prosecutor helming the trial team for Smith, said the case should move quickly. “This case will benefit from normal order, including a speedy trial,” Windom told the magistrate judge overseeing the arraignment.