(News Nation) — Former President Donald Trump's recent reinterpretation of the 2020 election results may be good politically but it's a bad legal strategy, according to a former Justice Department official.
“We got more votes than anyone else. — “He was the best sitting president in history, but he outdid us a little bit,” Trump said on August 30. He has made similar comments in other public appearances over the past few days.
“While it may have been politically prudent for Trump to acknowledge that he lost the election, legally it could certainly have consequences,” he said. Tom DupreeHe served as Assistant Attorney General in the George W. Bush administration.
“The crux of[special counsel]Jack Smith's indictment is that Trump was trying to fraud, rig and steal an election that he did not win. Even if Trump now acknowledges that he may have known all along that he had lost, he's not defending the accuracy of the vote. Trump was really trying to steal something.”
Smith A new indictment was filed The indictment against Trump was filed last month, reflecting a Supreme Court ruling that said the president has immunity from liability for acts committed while in office. The new indictment accuses Trump of crimes he allegedly committed as a candidate and a citizen, but not as president.
These include conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction and attempted obstruction of an official proceeding, and conspiracy against rights.
Dupree also told NewsNation's “On Balance” he's interested to see what evidence comes out. Smith may choose to be released before trial.
“I think it will shed light on what the former president was thinking at the time and what he was doing behind the scenes that is not yet in the public record, whether it's grand jury testimony or witness testimony.”
A hearing in Washington on Thursday set a timeline for pretrial filings, making it nearly impossible for the trial to begin before Election Day.
“That's probably as far as they can get,” Dupree said.
