Department of Justice: Trump could be indicted for his January 6th actions

The Justice Department document says that although the president enjoys broad legal freedom for public communication on issues of concern, no part of the president's official responsibilities involves inciting violence against individuals. Under the definition, such behaviour clearly goes out of the president's constitutional and statuteial duties. ”

The document was handed over to court by the Law Department Civil Division lawyers and has no impact on a special criminal investigation by the special prosecutor on Mr. Trump's efforts to overthrow the victory of the Democrat Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election. In fact, lawyers stressed that they are not expressing an attitude regarding possible criminal responsibility for Mr. Trump's actions or anyone else's.

The Justice Department also said it is not expressing any view of a judge's conclusions of a lower court than those who indicted former President Trump have claimed “in a reliable way” that his speech caused the riots. However, the Justice Department said the appeals court should reject former President Trump's claim that he has immunity from indictments.

The Department of Justice warned that “The court must make sure it does not pass rules that would unnecessaryly violate legitimate presidential communication” or charge a president with groundless indictments.

“During the exercise of their traditional communication functions, the presidents deal routineally with controversial issues that could spur strong reactions. Presidents can sometimes use strong rhetoric. And some who listen to that kind of rhetoric may react excessively or violently”, the Justice Department said.

Former President Trump is appealing a federal judge's decision in Washington, which last year rejected his efforts to reject civil indictments submitted by democratic lawmakers and two Capitol police officers. Federal Judge Amit Mehta ruled that former President Trump's words during a rally before the violent attack on the Capitol were likely “inflammatory words not protected by the First Amendment” The American Constitution, which protects freedom of expression.

The indictments, filed by California's Democrat lawmaker Eric SWalwell and police officers James Blassingam and Sidney Hemby, who were later joined by other Democrat members of the House of Representatives, argue that Mr. Trump and other politicians made <x0acles and inciting fraud and manipulation (of elections), and in direct response to these calls for violence at the rally, a violent mob attacked the American Capitol. ”

The indictments cite a federal civil rights law against intimidation by officials from the Ku Klux Klan group. They explain in detail how former President Trump and others spread groundless claims of election manipulation, before and after announcing the outcome of the 2020 presidential elections, which, they said, helped boost the anger of thousands before they attacked the Capitol. / VOA