New charges rock Trump, aide, and Mar-a-Lago in classified documents

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
28 Jul 2023 11:11
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The former US President is facing expanded charges amid allegations that he and his employees attempted to delete Mar-a-Lago security footage sought by a grand jury.

Former US President Donald Trump raises his fist while walking to a vehicle outside of Trump Tower in New York City on August 10, 2022. (AFP via Getty Images)

Former President Donald Trump is facing escalated charges in a case involving classified documents. Special counsel Jack Smith has expanded the case, accusing Trump and his employees of attempting to delete Mar-a-Lago security footage that was being sought by a grand jury investigating the mishandling of government records.

A superseding indictment was presented, adding a new defendant, Mar-a-Lago employee Carlos De Oliveira, who is accused, alongside Trump and Walt Nauta, of obstructing the investigation by deleting the security footage at Trump's Florida resort.

Additionally, Trump faces a new charge related to the mishandling of classified documents, with prosecutors identifying a new document that they claim Trump unlawfully retained, possibly containing alleged Iran attack plans.

This contradicts Trump's previous denials about the document's nature. The superseding indictment provides further details about the attempts to delete the security footage, implicating Trump in the efforts.

The charges against Trump illustrate the legal challenges he is currently facing. Apart from this case, there is a potential indictment looming in the election subversion probe by Jack Smith. Moreover, possible charges are expected in the investigation into Trump and his allies' post-election conduct in Fulton County, Georgia.

A recent survey asked #Americans about their opinions regarding the federal charges against Donald #Trump. pic.twitter.com/YwkVPfEBoy
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) July 9, 2023

Carlos De Oliveira is scheduled for arraignment on the new charges, and it remains to be seen how these developments will affect the pace of the case against Trump and Nauta. The trial is currently set to start in late May 2024.

In response to the new charges, Trump has claimed "election interference at the highest level" and "prosecutorial misconduct," attributing them to his standing in the 2024 presidential election polls and suggesting he is a target of the Justice Department.