Last updated on January 15th, 2021 at 07:27 am
Neal Katyal called for the Department of Justice to open a criminal investigation because Trump‘s pressuring of Georgia election officials is a crime.
Video:
Neal Katyal says that a criminal offense may have been committed on the #TrumpTapes and the DOJ needs to open an investigation if not now, then on January 20 after Biden takes office. pic.twitter.com/QSrF5BChYp
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— Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) January 3, 2021
Katyal said on MSNBC:
Trump asking the Georgia officials to find him 11780 votes. Maybe that works in the soviet union or something, but it is not the way that American government has operated. So I see both, you know, really truly an impeachable offense here in is the heart of what abuse of power that our founders worried about so much is. It is the idea that a government official can use the power of his office to stay in office to try and browbeat other officials that disagree with them. So whether or not was a high crime and misdemeanor has been committed. The tape makes it sound like there has. The second is whether or not there is a criminal offense and the federal code 53USC.2511 prohibits a federal official from interfering in a state election process. And again, that sure seems like what we heard on the tape. and so I think the Justice Department has to open an investigation if not now, then at least on January 20. I think that is the at least of what will happen here.”
Katyal also said that criminal liability to prosecute Trump would be easier because the Justice Department will no longer be protecting him. It is fairly clear that Trump committed election fraud when he tried to pressure Georgia Republicans into finding enough votes to overturn the election for him.
The Georgia call will likely not be Trump’s last potential criminal offense, and the right thing for the incoming DOJ to do would be to launch an investigation into Donald Trump’s election-related crimes.
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Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
