On Tuesday, ex-President Donald Trump took to social media to inform his followers that he had received a letter notifying him that he is the subject of a criminal investigation by a grand jury. The investigation pertains to alleged interference with the peaceful transfer of power following the 2020 election. CBS News has corroborated this information through multiple sources, including a senior Trump source who disclosed that Trump received a target letter on Sunday night, instructing him to appear before the grand jury. The investigation is connected to the special counsel’s probe into the events of January 6th.
Using his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump shared that he received a letter on Sunday night from special counsel Jack Smith, explicitly designating him as a “TARGET” of the investigation. According to Trump, he has been given a four-day timeframe to comply with the grand jury’s summons. Once again, he denounced the special counsel’s actions as a “witch hunt” and criticized the investigation, characterizing it as an unjustifiable politicization of law enforcement.
What is the special counsel investigating?
The special counsel’s office is conducting an investigation into a meeting that took place in the Oval Office on December 18, 2020. During this meeting, former President Trump discussed the possibility of appointing attorney Sidney Powell as a special counsel and issuing an executive order to seize voting machines. CBS News’ Robert Costa recently reported that investigators are looking into whether Trump genuinely believed the baseless claims of election fraud discussed during the meeting, despite being informed by White House lawyers that these claims were unfounded both on that night and in subsequent interactions.
As part of the special counsel’s probe, several individuals from Trump’s inner circle have provided testimony. This includes former Vice President Mike Pence, White House counsel Pat Cipollone, national security adviser Robert O’Brien, key aide Stephen Miller, and close ally Steve Bannon. Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who was asked by Trump in a phone call on January 2, 2021, to “find” 11,780 votes in order to overturn the election results, has also provided testimony.
In addition to the efforts to manipulate the outcome in Georgia, a group of fraudulent electors from battleground states, won by President Biden, convened in December 2020 and signed a certificate falsely declaring Trump as the victor in their respective states. These individuals claimed to be the legitimate and duly elected electors.
Leading up to the joint session of Congress on January 6, 2021, Trump publicly pressured Vice President Pence to reject the election results. During a rally near the White House, he urged his supporters to march to the Capitol and show their support while Congress was in the process of formally certifying the Electoral College votes. Consequently, a large group of Trump’s followers breached the Capitol, resulting in violence and chaos. Lawmakers were forced to evacuate, and the certification process was delayed for several hours. Vice President Pence ultimately announced Joe Biden as the winner of the election after 1 a.m. on January 7.
Other investigations into Trump
In November of last year, Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Jack Smith to investigate not only the events surrounding the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol but also Donald Trump’s handling of national defense-related documents following his departure from office. Trump and his longtime aide, Walt Nauta, were subsequently charged with multiple federal felony counts related to these documents in June. On June 13, Trump pleaded not guilty to the 37 charges brought against him.
Earlier this year, a special purpose grand jury in Fulton County, Georgia, concluded its investigation into alleged efforts by Trump and his associates to overturn the 2020 presidential election results in Georgia. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has stated that she will announce decisions regarding potential charges relating to this investigation during the summer.
Additionally, Trump is facing separate charges in New York for allegedly falsifying business records in connection with a “hush money” payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. In April, he entered a plea of not guilty to these state charges.
What is a target letter?
Federal prosecutors utilize target letters to officially notify individuals of their status in a criminal investigation. The Justice Department distinguishes between a “target” and a “subject” in these letters. A “target” is defined as an individual whom the prosecutor or grand jury possesses significant evidence linking to the commission of a crime and whom the prosecutor considers a potential defendant. On the other hand, a “subject” is a person whose conduct falls within the scope of the grand jury’s investigation. The target designation suggests a higher level of suspicion and indicates that the individual is a primary focus of the investigation, while being a subject implies a broader investigation where the person’s actions are being examined but not necessarily with the same level of evidence or suspicion as a target.
