Aug. 3 (UPI) — Former President Donald Trump arrived Thursday afternoon at the federal courthouse in Washington for arraignment on charges that he perpetrated a conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election, culminating in a deadly assault on the U.S. Capitol.
Trump’s motorcade brought him to the E. Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse just west of the Capitol, where a violent mob of his supporters attempted to disrupt the certification of President Joe Biden’s victory on Jan. 6, 2021.
The former president will appear before a magistrate to answer to four charges: conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of an official proceeding, and conspiracy against the right to vote.
Special counsel Jack Smith, who led the monthslong investigation that resulted in Tuesday’s grand jury indictment, called the conspiracy “an unprecedented assault on the seat of American democracy.”
Trump is seeking the Republican nomination for re-election in 2024.
Earlier Thursday, a few demonstrators supporting and opposing Trump gathered outside the courthouse, where D.C.’s Metropolitan Police had increased security. Dump trucks were parked along the street.
The charges against Trump are unprecedented. The election case marks his third indictment, following federal charges related to the mishandling of classified documents and state charges filed in New York on business fraud relating to hush money payments made to an adult film star. He has pleaded not guilty in those cases.
The latest charging document describes, but does not name, six unindicted co-conspirators.
