Former U.S. President Donald Trump (2017-2021) pleaded not guilty Thursday to federal charges of conspiracy to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.
RELATED:
China Opposes Any Official Visit by Taiwan Separatists to US
Trump appeared in federal court in the District of Columbia District, where Judge Moxila Upadhyaya was in charge of reading the four charges against him. He is accused of orchestrating the attempt to block the peaceful transfer of presidential power to the winner of the election, Joe Biden.
The former president pleaded not guilty to all charges, including conspiracy to defraud, witness tampering, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding and conspiracy against citizens’ rights.
The investigation is led by U.S. Department of Justice special prosecutor Jack Smith. The indictment also insists on Trump’s role in the riots that occurred in Washington on January 6, 2021 and the assault on the Capitol by his supporters.
Judge Moxila Upadhyaya agreed to release the former president after setting conditions for his release, including no contact with any of the witnesses in the case without lawyers present. Should Trump violate any of those conditions, a warrant for his arrest may be issued, the judge said. The next hearing is set for Aug. 28 and will be conducted by federal Judge Tanya Chutkan, who will oversee the case.
In the case, the former president, a front-runner for the 2024 Republican presidential primary, faces maximum penalties of between five and 20 years in prison, depending on whether he is convicted.
On January 6, 2021, Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Congressional headquarters in Washington after Joe Biden beat the then-president in the 2020 election. Trump considered the process to have been flawed and alluded to possible voter fraud. More than 1,000 people have been charged for their involvement in the assault, which left five dead and some 140 police officers injured.
