Understanding the Federal Charges Filed Against Former President Donald Trump
Former President Donald Trump has been charged by the federal government for hanging on to defense documents and refusing to turn them over when asked. The indictment names 37 charges filed against the former president over his mishandling of classified information. The documents were being stored at his resort here in Florida. Trump allegedly refused to return them when he was asked to by the federal government.
A federal aid for Trump is also named in the indictment. Will Nauta was an aide for Trump during his time in office. Trump retained him as an employee after losing the election to Joe Biden in 2020. Nauta faces 6 charges related to the handling of the classified documents.
The charges against Donald Trump
Trump is accused of the willful retention of defense information. This charge covers counts 1 through 31 and only applies to the former president. Trump is accused of storing classified defense information at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
Both Trump and Nauta along with several others are accused of obstructing justice. These charges pertain to information that was withheld by the former president to avoid them being disclosed during the grand jury hearing.
Trump is also accused of withholding a document from a grand jury prosecutor who was attempting to make the case against Trump. Trump and Nauta are alleged to have hidden the documents from the prosecutor.
Trump is further accused of concealing a document in a federal investigation. Trump and others are accused of hiding documents from federal prosecutors. Trump attempted to hide his continued possession of the documents from the FBI and authorities who were investigating his case.
The majority of the charges are related to the mishandling of federal documents and the ensuing cover-up to beguile the FBI and federal prosecutors. The Justice Department believes that the charges are serious and is pursuing the case aggressively. Trump potentially faces years in prison as the charges range from 5 to 20 years each. It is more likely, however, that Trump will not face the maximums when it comes to sentencing. It is unclear at present whether or not the Justice Department can find a jury that will convict Trump or if he will face prison time over the allegations.
Trump maintains that the charges filed against him are a political witch hunt targeting him because of his politics. However, Trump has played fast and loose with the rules before and the Justice Department appears poised to pursue the case until he is convicted.
This could harm his efforts to campaign in 2024. Trump remains the Republican front runner for the next U.S. presidential election. If convicted, that would prevent Trump, ostensibly, from being considered as a candidate. As of now, Trump and his politics have deeply divided our nation. The future of Trump’s legal status and presidential run remain unclear.
Talk to a Federal Criminal Defense Lawyer Today
If you have been accused of storing classified information at your resort, the Tampa criminal defense attorneys at The Matassini Law Firm can help you defend yourself from the charges. Call today to schedule an appointment, and we can begin preparing your defense immediately.
Source:
npr.org/2023/06/09/1181340894/trump-indictment-classified-documents-charges
