George Conway Calls For An Immediate Federal Criminal Investigation Of Trump’s Coup

George Conway argued that former failed president Trump tried to make federal employees engage in political activity illegally, and the DOJ needs to launch a criminal investigation.

George Conway Lays Out Why The DOJ Should Be Investigating Trump’s Coup

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Conway said on MSNBC’s Morning, Joe:

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There are a number of provisions that could apply to this conduct. There is a conspiracy to defraud the United States, 18 usc section 371, which is what the special counsel Mueller used the charge the Russian Internet Research Agency. There is 18 usc 610 which is my personal favorite in this situation. Because it seems to easy to apply, which is the criminal provision of the Hatch Act and what that statute provides is that the, it shall  be unlawful for anybody and that would include the President Of The United States to coerce or attempt to coerce a federal employee into engaging into political activity. 

What that would mean is that if Donald Trump had directed or tried to coerce an acting attorney general Rosen to walking down Pennsylvania Avenue with a Trump 2020 flag, that would have been criminal. Here this was much worse. He was attempting to coerce the Department Of Justice, Rosen into engaging in what was a purely political act, precisely because they had told the president there was no interests of the United States in this, that there was no illegality, there was no law enforcement function to be performed by the justice department and he, then Donald Trump went on to basically say, just say it, say it, make this statement. You know, that was all as you point out just for political purposes it was for political purposes to influence the political branches, the Congress to overturn the election to try to influence the what the states were doing. And that again a purely political act. 

Coerced by the President Of The United States, who by the way as these reports make clear was basically threatening Rosen with removal and substitution by Jeffrey Clark. The guy who was actually trying to, who was basically conspiring with the president to overturn the election. And that’s coercion.  And it fits this statute like a glove, and if hasn’t already Justice Department, I know there is an inspector general investigation, should begin a criminal investigation. Because there is sufficient predication for such investigation. 

The 1/6 Committee May Force A DOJ Investigation Into Trump’s Coup

Conway makes a compelling argument for why there needs to be a criminal investigation at the federal level of Trump’s coup attempts. If the DOJ isn’t already criminally investigating Trump, the 1/6 Committee could force their hand. The committee will have the ability to make referrals for criminal charges.

The public does not know if the DOJ is investigating Trump, but the evidence is overwhelming that Trump tried a soft coup within the administration, and when that failed, he incited the January 6 attack on the Capitol.

Jason Easley

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