Lawyers for former President Donald Trump are chasing leads to figure out if there is unknown evidence in special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election, according to a news report Wednesday.
Trump revealed on Tuesday that he had received notice that he was the target of an investigation earlier this week. The target letter laid out potential charges the former president could face, which were allegedly more severe than Trump’s counsel had expected based on the evidence they had knowledge of, sources told CNN.
The more serious potential charges indicate that Smith’s office has more evidence that Trump and his team were not aware of, despite the team keeping a close eye on the investigation, sources claimed. The possible charges include conspiracy to commit an offense or to defraud the United States, deprivation of rights under color of law, and tampering with a witness, or an informant.
“I don’t think they’ve ever sent a letter on Sunday night,” Trump said during a town hall on Tuesday night. “And they’re in a rush because they want to interfere, it’s election interference, never been done like this in the history of our country and it’s a disgrace what’s happening to our country.”
Prosecutors in recent weeks have called in a number of Trump’s allies to testify before a federal grand jury investigating the circumstances around the Jan. 6, 2021, riot on Capitol Hill, including Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and former aide Hope Hicks. The prosecutors allegedly questioned whether Trump knew he had lost the election to consider whether there was intent behind potential charges.
The former president’s legal team reportedly did not anticipate the target letter, and did not even anticipate that charges would be brought against Trump in the Jan. 6 investigation at all, sources claimed. No charges have been filed so far, but target letters often lead to an indictment.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
If charges are brought against Trump, it will be his third indictment this year. Trump was indicted in Manhattan in April and again in June in Florida, where he pleaded not guilty to federal charges over his handling of classified documents after leaving the Oval Office.
The Washington Examiner has reached out to Trump’s legal team for comment.
