14m ago / 1:13 PM UTC
Truth Social: Trump accuses unnamed DOJ prosecutor of bribery in all-caps
Last night, hours after the Justice Department informed his lawyers that the Special Counsel’s investigation is targeting him, Trump went to his platform Truth Social to make bribery accusations against an unnamed prosecutor.
“Shocking! “Shocking!
Trump seemed to be referring back to the reporting of John Solomon, the right-wing commentator who founded the Just the News website. Solomon reported that Justice Department refused to delay Trump’s planned indictment to investigate allegations of a senior prosecutor who worked on the case trying to influence a witness by discussing federal judgeships with the witness’s lawyer.
Solomon reported, citing people familiar with the matter, that the allegation was still pending before the Chief U.S. district judge James E. Boasberg, the chief of the federal district courts in Washington, D.C., as well as the grand jury that meets in the courthouse.
NBC News did not report independently on the bribery allegations.
45m ago / 12:42 PM UTC
Pence hopes DOJ “thinks better” about indicting Trump
Mike Pence, the former vice president who announced his presidential run yesterday, expressed hope that the Justice Department would “think better” about indicting Trump. He argued that this would “disrupt the country” and “create a lot of division.”
Pence, speaking at a CNN Town Hall last night, said that “This type of action by DOJ will only fuel further divisions in the country.” He also pointed out other issues such as inflation which he viewed as more urgent.
He added, “I also think that it would send a terrible signal to the wider community.” “We’re the symbol for justice and democracy in the world. Indicting an ex-president of the United States, as happened in New York before, sends a terrible signal to the rest of the world.” I hope that the DOJ reconsiders and decides to resolve these issues without indictment.”
Pence was asked whether Trump should be charged if prosecutors found he had broken the law. He replied that “nobody is above the laws” and said he hoped the Justice Department could resolve the case because of the “unique circumstances”.
45m ago / 12:42 PM UTC
Trump was told that he is a target. What does this mean?
In criminal investigations, there are three categories: a Witness (someone who has relevant information), an Subject(someone who’s conduct falls within the scope of the grand jury work), and a Target (someone whom prosecutors believe is guilty).
Prosecutors don’t subpoena targets. Sometimes they will send a letter to invite the target to testify, if that is what they want (remember that something similar occurred near the end the Manhattan hush-money investigation before Trump’s indictment in that case). Sometimes it’s done verbally. All depends on your discretion.
According to Justice Department regulations, “the prosecutor is encouraged, in appropriate situations, to notify a person of such a nature if he or she wishes to testify in front of the grand jury.
Often, but not always indictable, are the recipients of targeted letters.
