Special counsel Jack Smith announced three more charges against former President Donald Trump this week, in what appears to be a widening of the investigation into Trump’s alleged handling of classified documents. In addition, the special counsel added additional charges for two individuals close to the former president.
In addition to charging the former president, Smith announced that Trump’s assistant Walt Nauta would be charged with two charges related to obstruction of justice. Nauta was originally charged in relation to the documents case in June.
Furthermore, the special counsel is also charging the head of maintenance at Trump’s home, Carlos De Oliveira, with “altering, destroying, mutilating or concealing a document, making false statements and conspiracy to obstruct justice.”
My full statement on the continued witch hunt by Biden’s corrupt DOJ against President Trump: pic.twitter.com/ADnVxMVKVs
— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) July 27, 2023
A statement from Smith’s office said that the “superseding indictment also charges Trump, De Oliveira and Nauta with two new obstruction counts based on allegations that the defendants attempted to delete surveillance video footage at The Mar-a-Lago Club in summer 2022.”
The special counsel is accusing Trump and the other charged individuals of attempting to delete security footage from Mar-a-Lago last year.
The Trump campaign stated that the latest charges were a “continued desperate and flailing attempt by the Biden Crime Family and their Department of Justice to harass President Trump and those around him.”
Trump will reportedly not be booked for the latest charges. However, De Oliveira will be required to appear in a Miami court on July 31.
In addition, Trump announced denied on social media that he may be charged in relation to the Jan. 6, 2021 protest.
He wrote on Truth Social that his attorneys had a “productive meeting” with the Department of Justice “explaining in detail that I did nothing wrong.” He also said that he was “advised by many lawyers” that a further indictment “would only further destroy our Country.”
“No indication of notice was given during the meeting — Do not trust the Fake News on anything!”
Last week, the former president said that Smith was also considering charges against him related to the grand jury investigation into Jan. 6.
Trump wrote that he was summoned to report to the grand jury, “which almost always” means “an Arrest and Indictment.”
