The Trump Indictments: A Comprehensive Guide
1. Introduction
The Trump presidency has been marked by a number of criminal indictments and guilty pleas. Here is a comprehensive guide to all of the Trump-related indictments that have been handed down so far.
I. Introduction
Since taking office, Donald Trump has been the subject of a number of criminal indictments and guilty pleas. Here is a comprehensive guide to all of the Trump-related indictments that have been handed down so far.
II. The Michael Cohen Indictment
In August 2018, Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen pleaded guilty to eight federal crimes, including tax evasion, bank fraud, and campaign finance violations. Cohen implicated Trump in the latter two crimes, stating that he had acted at the "direction and under the coordination and instruction of Individual-1", which prosecutors have confirmed is Trump.
III. The Paul Manafort Indictment
In October 2017, Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort was indicted on charges of conspiracy against the United States, money laundering, and being an unregistered foreign agent. In the indictment, prosecutors allege that Manafort "acted intentionally.
2. What are the Trump indictments?
A Trump indictment is an accusation that is leveled against an individual by a United States Federal Grand Jury. According to the Justice Department, “an indictment is a formal accusation that a person has committed a crime”.
The two most notable Trump indictments to date are those against former lawyer Michael Cohen and former campaign chairman Paul Manafort.
The Michael Cohen indictment alleged that he had committed bank fraud, tax evasion, and campaign finance violations against the direction of Trump and Trump’s direction.
The Paul Manafort indictment alleged that he had acted as an unregistered foreign agent and had committed money laundering and conspiracy against the United States.
In addition to these two indictments, there have been numerous other indictments, guilty pleas, and sentences related to felony and misdemeanor charges against former Trump associates, including former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and former “fixer” Michael Cohen.
All of these indictments and charges have collectively come to be known as the “Trump indictments”.
3. The Mueller Investigation: A Timeline
Robert Mueller was appointed as the special counsel by the Department of Justice in May 2017 to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 United States presidential election and any related matters.
Mueller’s investigation has been conducted in multiple phases. The first phase focused on identifying any links or coordination between the Russian government and individuals associated with the Trump campaign.
In July 2017, Mueller impaneled a grand jury, indicating he was moving from an investigative to a prosecutorial phase.
Throughout the remainder of 2017, Mueller issued several indictments of former Trump associates for various charges, including money laundering and perjury.
In February of 2018, Mueller filed a major indictment in the Special Counsel's investigation, charging 13 Russian nationals and three Russian entities with interference in the 2016 election.
On April 18th, 2019, Mueller submitted a confidential report to the Justice Department. It was not fully released to the public though Attorney General William Barr was mandated to release a summary.
On July 24th, 2019, Mueller testified to Congress regarding his investigation.
The Mueller investigation remains ongoing and has not yet concluded.
4. Who has been indicted so far?
The Mueller investigation has resulted in numerous indictments. Here is a list of all those who have been indicted or convicted as a result of the Mueller investigation (as of March 2021):
1. Paul Manafort – The former campaign chairman for Donald Trump was indicted on a variety of charges, including conspiracy to defraud the United States and money laundering.
2. Rick Gates – Another former campaign associate, he was indicted on similar charges to Manafort, including conspiracy to defraud the U.S. and money laundering.
3. Michael Flynn – He plead guilty to making false statements to the FBI.
4. Michael Cohen – After pleading guilty to various financial crimes, he was sentenced to three years in prison.
5. Roger Stone – He was indicted on seven counts of obstruction, witness tampering and making false statements to the FBI.
6. Richard Pinedo – This California man was indicted for identity theft.
7. thirteen Russians – These individuals and entities were indicted for interfering in the 2016 presidential election.
8. Konstantin Kilimnik – This Russian national was indicted along with Manafort for obstruction of justice and conspiracy.
9. Alex van der Zwaan – He worked for Paul Manafort and was found guilty of making false statements to the Mueller investigation.
5. The indictment process
In order to be indicted, there must be evidence that a suspect may have committed a crime. An indictment is a formal charge that is brought by a grand jury. A grand jury is a special criminal court comprised of 16 to 23 citizens who review the evidence to determine whether charges should be brought against a suspect.
Once a suspect is indicted, the case is then brought before a state or federal trial court where the accused can face charges. If found guilty, the accused will face jail or prison time, depending on the severity of the crimes.
The indictment process can be lengthy and under certain circumstances, the grand jury or trial court may refuse to indict a suspect. In these cases, the suspect may be released and free to go. It is important to remember that an indictment is not the same as a conviction, as an indictment only means that the grand jury has found probable cause that the accused may have committed the alleged crime.
6. What happens next?
Once a suspect is indicted, they will face a criminal trial. During the trial, the prosecutor will present their case against the defendant in an effort to prove their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. During the trial, both the defense and the prosecution will call witnesses, present evidence, and argue their case in court.
At the end of the trial, the judge or jury will deliberate and determine whether the prosecution has proven the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If this is the case, the defendant will be found guilty and sentenced. If the prosecution fails to prove guilt, the defendant will be found not guilty and will be released.
It is important to remember that no matter how damning the evidence may be, a defendant is still innocent until proven guilty by a jury or judge. Even if the evidence appears to be overwhelming, the defendant still has a right to have the jury or judge decide their fate.
7. Conclusion
The Trump indictments are a complex matter that have attracted plenty of attention from the media and the public. While the president has not been charged with any crimes related to the indictments, his associates have.
It is important to remember that no matter how much evidence there is against the accused, they are innocent until proven guilty by a jury or judge. The prosecution must be able to prove the guilt of the defendant beyond a reasonable doubt in order for them to be convicted.
Ultimately, the future of the Trump indictments will be decided in a court of law. Until then, it is important to remember that due process is essential for everyone, and that justice must be served for all.
Comments
Post a Comment