Trump says he’s been told he’s ‘target’ of DOJ’s Capitol riot probe
WASHINGTON — Former President Donald Trump revealed Tuesday that his attorneys had informed him he is a target of special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into the events surrounding the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot — and that he is prepared for “an Arrest and Indictment” in the case.
Trump, 77, is the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination and decried on social media what he called a “WITCH HUNT” and “ELECTION INTERFERENCE” in his bid for a rematch against President Biden.
“WOW! On Sunday night, while I was with my family, having just arrived from the Turning Point event in Florida, where I won the Straw Poll against all other Republican candidates with 85.7%, with all polls showing me leading in the Republican Primary by very substantial numbers, almost everyone predicting that I will be the Republican Nominee for President, and as I am leading Democrat Joe Biden in the polls by a lot, HORRIFYING NEWS for our Country was given to me by my attorneys,” Trump wrote.
“Deranged Jack Smith, the prosecutor with Joe Biden’s DOJ, sent a letter (again, it was Sunday night!) stating that I am a TARGET of the January 6th Grand Jury investigation, and giving me a very short 4 days to report to the Grand Jury, which almost always means an Arrest and Indictment.”
Trump added: “So now, Joe Biden’s Attorney General, Merrick Garland, who I turned down for the United States Supreme Court (in retrospect, based on his corrupt and unethical actions, a very wise decision!), together with Joe Biden’s Department of Injustice, have effectively issued a third Indictment and Arrest of Joe Biden’s NUMBER ONE POLITICAL OPPONENT, who is largely dominating him in the race for the Presidency. Nothing like this has ever happened in our Country before, or even close.”
It’s unclear what precisely Trump would be charged with in relation to the events of Jan. 6 — though possibilities include obstructing an official proceeding, conspiracy to commit election fraud by authorizing slates of “fake” electors to pledge their votes to him, or knowingly soliciting money under false pretenses by claiming to need funding for legal challenges.
Trump told thousands of supporters gathered near the White House on the day of the riot that he wanted them to march on Congress to protest and help reverse his loss — as legislators met to formally count the results of the Electoral College.
Trump also urged Vice President Mike Pence to attempt to unilaterally reject swing-state electors, which Pence refused to do.
A wild mob of Trump’s supporters fought with police, forced their way into the Capitol and ransacked the building. Three Trump fans died of medical emergencies and another, Ashli Babbitt, 36, was fatally shot by a cop as she climbed through a busted-out internal window.
A Capitol Police officer, Brian Sicknick, 42, himself a Trump voter, died the following day of a stroke and at least four police officers and three rioters involved in the clashes died by suicide.
Trump often emphasizes that he told the crowd to march “peacefully and patriotically,” but his critics note he also told them to “fight like hell” and remained silent during the initial hours of the riot.
The Justice Department says it has arrested 1,069 alleged participants in the riot and many of them have been sentenced to prison terms for crimes including assaulting police.
Trump has been arrested twice so far — first in New York City in April under a novel business records falsification theory brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg over 2016 hush money payments, and then in Miami in June, where Smith charged Trump with crimes related to the mishandling of classified records.
Trump may face a fourth criminal prosecution on state charges in Georgia, where the authorities are investigating his attempt to reverse Biden’s roughly 12,000-vote victory in the Peach State.
The Justice Department’s press office referred The Post to Smith spokesman Peter Carr, who declined to comment on Trump’s statement.
The unprecedented criminal charges against a former president haven’t hurt Trump’s status as GOP front-runner — with the RealClearPolitics polling average currently showing him with a 33.5 percentage point advantage over Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Trump’s campaign says it raised $10 million within five days of him facing charges in New York and another $6.6 million within six days of the classified-documents charges in Miami.
Trump and Biden are essentially tied in the RealClearPolitics national popular vote average, which would likely mean a victory for the Republican in the Electoral College.
Allies of the former president accuse prosecutors of being biased against him while giving far greater deference to Biden and his family.
Trump supporters note that Smith’s wife, Katy Chevigny, worked as a producer on the gauzy Michelle Obama Netflix documentary “Becoming” and donated $2,000 to Biden’s 2020 campaign.
Two IRS whistleblowers who investigated first son Hunter Biden for tax fraud and related crimes are scheduled to testify Wednesday to the House Oversight Committee about an alleged coverup in the case featuring preferential treatment and roadblocks from President Biden’s appointees.
The Oversight Committee also is investigating an FBI informant’s claim that a Ukrainian businessman paid $5 million apiece in bribes to Joe and Hunter Biden during the Obama-Biden administration. Republicans are demanding to know what if anything the FBI did to investigate the claim.
Hunter Biden is scheduled to appear in court next week for the first time since he agreed to plead guilty last month to two misdemeanor tax fraud charges and a gun felony that will be expunged after he completes probation.
The IRS whistleblowers said Hunter was allowed to run out the clock on serious tax charges related to millions in foreign income earned while his father was vice president and critics note he also managed to avoid charges for potential money laundering and violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
One of the whistleblowers, IRS supervisory agent Gary Shapley, alleges that a Justice Department prosecutor sought to block tax investigators from looking at Joe Biden’s potential role in his son’s dealings in countries such as China and Ukraine — despite communications describing the elder Biden as involved and even penciled in for a cut.
A different special counsel, Robert Hur, is investigating President Biden’s improper storage of classified documents from his vice presidency and Senate years — after those records were found in November through early this year at his pre-presidency personal office in DC and at his Delaware home, including in his Wilmington garage next to his Corvette.
Hur’s investigation has featured few leaks to the media and the lack of apparent investigative steps has drawn attention from legal observers, with George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley writing last month that “it would be reassuring to see some proof of life in the investigation.”
