Former President Trump has been indicted for his role in attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 election, an effort that reached a bloody crescendo on Jan. 6, 2021, with his supporters attacking police and ransacking the U.S. Capitol.
Trump was charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States, witness tampering and conspiracy against the rights of citizens, and obstruction of an attempt to obstruct an official proceeding.
The investigation of Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election was led by Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith. His team of prosecutors has questioned senior Trump administration officials before a grand jury in Washington, including Pence and top lawyers from the Trump White House.
Tuesday evening, Smith took to the podium alone to speak briefly about the indictment. Before a room of cameras and reporters, he delivered a two-minute statement, then left without taking questions.
"The attack on our nation's capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, was an unprecedented assault on the seat of American democracy. As described in the indictment, it was fueled by lies," Smith said. "Lies by the defendant, targeted at obstructing a bedrock function of the U.S. Government."
While the manner and forum for this speech looked nearly identical to a statement Smith delivered after Trump was indicted on federal charges back in May, the tenor and tone of these remarks contained unmissable weightiness.
Smith spoke about the "men and women of law enforcement" who defended the Capitol, calling them heroes and patriots — and "the best among us."
The Associated Press contributed.