It is described in the indictment, fuelled by lies. Lies by the defendant targeted at obstructing a Bedrock Function of the us government, the nations process of collecting, counting and certifying the results of the president ial election. The men and women of Law Enforcement who defended the us Capital Onjanuary The 6th are heroes. They are patriots and The Very Best of us. They did notjust defend a building, or the people sheltering in it they put their lives on the line to defend who we are as a country and as a people. They defended the very institutions and principles that defined the United States. Since the attack on our capital the Department Ofjustice Has remained committed to ensuring accountability for those criminally responsible for what happened that day. This case is brought consistent with that commitment. Our investigation of other individuals continues. In this case, my office will seek a speedy trial so that our evidence can be tested in court and judged by a jury of citizens. In the meantime, i must emphasise that the indictment is only an allegation and that the defendant must be presumed innocent until Proven GuiltyBeyond A Reasonable Doubt in a court of law. I would like to thank the members of the Federal Bureau Of Investigation who are working on this investigation with my office as well as the many Career Prosecutors and Law Enforcement agents from around the country who have worked on previous January The 6th investigations. These women and men are publics of servants of the highest order and it is a privilege to work alongside them. Thank you. That was special counsel, jack smith a short while ago speaking in washington, dc officially announcing that indictment handed down by a grand jury today. Former President Trump indicted on four counts we have been speaking with a pain ultimately spring the bakken. Stephanie rawlings blake, former mayor of baltimore, democratic strategist, former Deputy Attorney general, also alan lichtman, president ial historian. And our correspondent nomia iqbal whos been following all of the latest from outside the courthouse in dc. Lets start with you nomia iqbal, for the view isjoining us now and wanting to know what happened. Take us through what took place this afternoon as we learned of this afternoon as we learned of this indictment. We were waiting for a potential indictment to come down and it had been a lot of speculation for some time, ever since donald trump a couple of weeks ago said he received a Target Letter which typically you get when you are being targeted in an investigation, when it is wrapping up, he was once asked to give evidence or grandeur which he declined so we knew something was coming and it was confirmed a few hours ago that donald trump has been charged, four charges, three of which are counts to conspiracy, to defraud the us, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding conspiracy against rights this is the biggest case against donald trump in the department ofjustice in relation to his behaviour on the day that he refused to accept Election Results, to refuse to accept that he lost to what happens on that he lost to what happens on that day on the capital, not just the rights and the role that he played in it but the events leading up to it. He is being accused of trying to, and the indictment there is lot of words such as lies, dishonesty, deceit, false claims, disenfranchising millions of voters in that he did this all knowingly. So lets not mince words here at all. This is the most serious case against a former president yet. One that could be a future president as well. Of course we know that hes a clear front burner for the republican president ial nomination, but this is the third indictment coming off of the back of the one in new york, the one in florida and he could potentially be facing a fourth indictment in georgia which is also related to this in some ways, to do with claims of him trying to commit fraud, overturned Election Results. Donald trump, to let you know, has reacted. We have been hearing from him quite a bit today. He spoke briefly to abc news saying, the charges brought by special counsel, jack smith are a pylon and saying that these indictments against him are particular us and we have seen many republicans come out and support him. One person that has not though is wheel herd, a former texas congressman, running for the nomination and he has said, i will quote him that donald trump is driven by an attempt to stay out of prison and skim his supporters into putting his legal bills. That is the only republican that has criticised donald trump, accra three. Some reaction from the Democrat Party as well because we have not heard from months from him and silent on the previous indictments but Senate MajorityChuck Schumer and House Minority leader has said that this indictment is the most serious and most consequential thus far. , thus far. Really interesting, those reactions thus far. Really interesting, those reactions there. Thus far. Really interesting, i those reactions there. Robert coming to you, she said that this is the most serious case of the former president does face and you are forward Deputy Assistant attorney general looking through some time you agree . Looking through some time you auree . ~ ,. , agree . Absolutely. The documents agree . Absolutely. The documents case agree . Absolutely. The documents case in agree . Absolutely. The i documents case in florida agree . Absolutely. The documents case in florida is a serious documents case in florida is a serious case, but it is not an uncommon serious case, but it is not an uncommon case. You see cases all of uncommon case. You see cases all of the uncommon case. You see cases all of the time, people pertaining to classified information and sometimes being prosecuted and sometimes not. The hush prosecuted and sometimes not. 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