Donald Trump pleaded not guilty in court on Thursday to all four charges relating to the investigation into a conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election and the January 6, 2021, Capital riot.
The four charges he is facing have differing years in prison and fines. The first charge is conspiracy to defraud the U.S., which carries a maximum of five years in prison and/or a fine of $250,000. The second is a conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, punishable by a fine of $250,000 and up to 20 years in prison. The third is obstruction of an official proceeding which carries a fine of $250,000 and a maximum of 20 years in jail. The final charge is a conspiracy against rights which he could face 10 years in prison.
The case is being conducted in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in D.C. and Trump traveled via private airplane from his home in Bedminster, New Jersey.
When the federal magistrate judge asked Trump how he pleaded, he responded with, “Not guilty.” He was ordered by Magistrate Judge Moxila Upadhyaya not to speak about this case with any of the witnesses unless done through counsel. The first hearing is set to be on August 28 and will be heard by Judge Tanya Chutkan.
Trump’s legal team has attempted to delay the proceedings.
If Trump wins the 2024 election, he could order the Justice Department to dismiss all the charges against him. When Judge Upadhyaya gave the prosecutors one week to suggest a date for Trump’s trial, Trump’s attorney John F. Lauro argued that they needed more time, as it was unfair that the government had years to investigate their client. Judge Upadhyaya responded by suggesting he speak to Judge Chutkan about the matter and that they had five days within the filing to respond. Judge Chutkan has the strongest record of any judge in sentencing Jan. 6 defendants.
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Outside the courthouse, there were a myriad of people awaiting Trump, including his supporters and critics. Many held signs that could read, “Lock him up!” Supporters raised ones that read, “Trump won.”
After the hearing, Trump told the public that it was “a very sad day for America” while at Reagan National Airport. He said he believes he is a victim of “persecution” by President Joe Biden. His final words before leaving were, “This was never supposed to happen in America.”
