Federal Judge David O. Carter ruled that Trump likely committed felony obstruction and ordered John Eastman to hand over all of his emails to the 1/6 Committee.
The illegality of the plan was obvious. Our nation was founded on the peaceful transition of power, epitomized by George Washington laying down his sword to make way for democratic elections. Ignoring this history, President Trump vigorously campaigned for the Vice President to single-handedly determine the results of the 2020 election. As Vice President Pence stated, “no Vice President in American history has ever asserted such authority.” Every American—and certainly the President of the United States—knows that in a democracy, leaders are elected, not installed. With a plan this “BOLD,” President Trump knowingly tried to subvert this fundamental principle.
Based on the evidence, the Court finds it more likely than not that President Trump corruptly attempted to obstruct the Joint Session of Congress on January 6, 2021.
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Judge Carter ordered John Eastman to turn over 101 emails to the 1/6 Committee.
The judge’s ruling should put even more heat on the Department of Justice to criminally investigate Trump’s plot and actions after the election and through the Capitol attack.
Eastman has failed to hide the evidence of his and his co-conspirators’ likely criminal activity.
Judge Carter expressed a warning in his ruling that if those who were behind the 1/6 plot aren’t criminally held accountable, it will happen again.
If a federal judge thinks that Trump likely obstructed Congress, that should be good enough for AG Garland and the DOJ to get to work.
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