Donald Trump Cries Out ‘I DID NOTHING WRONG, THEY DID!’ as Judge Unseals Jack Smith’s Evidence Weeks Before Election

A federal judge in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday unsealed a 165-page document filed by special counsel Jack Smith in the case concerning former President Donald Trump’s alleged attempts to subvert the 2020 election.

The release comes just 34 days before most Americans head to the polls to decide whether Trump, seeking re-election, will return to the White House.

Smith’s filing responds to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling earlier this year that grants presidents “absolute” immunity from prosecution for “official acts” performed while in office.

Most of the document recapitulates known details about Trump and his allies’ efforts to overturn his defeat to President Joe Biden. However, it includes new, striking anecdotes about Trump’s actions during that period.

“The defendant [Trump] asserts that he is immune from prosecution for his criminal scheme to overturn the 2020 presidential election because, he claims, it entailed official conduct,” Smith’s filing began. “Not so.

Although the defendant was the incumbent President during the charged conspiracies, his scheme was fundamentally private.” Smith argued that Trump, acting as a candidate, conspired with private individuals to interfere with the election process, which is not an official presidential duty.

The Supreme Court remanded the question of whether presidential immunity applies in this case to lower courts in July. In August, Smith filed a superseding indictment against Trump, attempting to advance the case.

In Wednesday’s unsealed filing, prosecutors contend that Trump’s efforts to pressure Vice President Mike Pence not to certify the election results were conducted privately and outside the scope of his presidential authority. One key example cited was a January 4, 2021, meeting where Trump excluded his official White House counsel, opting to speak with Pence and a personal attorney instead. Smith’s team argued that Trump’s actions were private, not presidential.

The filing also emphasises Trump’s efforts in swing states, including Georgia, Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, to overturn the election. Prosecutors referenced well-known incidents such as Trump’s January 2, 2021, phone call with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, during which Trump requested the official to “find” 11,780 votes to reverse Biden’s victory in the state. Additionally, the indictment touches on efforts to produce fake electors in crucial battleground states.

According to the filing, during this post-election period, Pence privately urged Trump to refrain from contesting the results, suggesting he view the election not as a loss but as a “pause.” Meanwhile, prosecutors also argued that Trump’s phone calls with state officials in Georgia and Arizona were made as a candidate, not as the president. Notably, Trump did not contact state officials with Democratic governors, further bolstering the claim that his actions were politically motivated.

Prosecutors emphasised throughout the document that Trump was aware his claims of election fraud were false. Smith’s team characterised Trump’s behaviour as deceptive, with efforts driven by the “knowingly false claims” about the election.

One particularly explosive piece of evidence was an internal conversation within Trump’s campaign about potential unrest in Michigan.

In response to concerns that the situation might mirror the 2000 “Brooks Brothers Riot” in Florida, an unnamed Trump staffer reportedly urged his colleagues to “Make them riot” and “Do it!!!”

Trump’s legal team fought to keep the document sealed, arguing it could damage his 2024 presidential campaign. However, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan overruled their objections. Chutkan, who received the evidence dossier last week, opted to redact certain portions, including the names of witnesses and co-conspirators.

This document’s unsealing comes just one day after the vice presidential debate between Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, during which Trump’s election claims were a point of contention. The Harris-Walz campaign quickly released an ad criticising Vance for avoiding a direct answer about whether Trump lost the 2020 election.

Following the unsealing, Trump responded angrily on Truth Social, accusing the Department of Justice of election interference: “FOR 60 DAYS before AN ELECTION, THE DEPARTMENT OF INJUSTICE IS SUPPOSED TO DO NOTHING THAT WOULD TAINT OR INTERFERE WITH A CASE. THEY DISOBEYED THEIR OWN RULE IN FAVOR OF COMPLETE AND TOTAL ELECTION INTERFERENCE. I DID NOTHING WRONG; THEY DID!”

In an interview with NewsNation’s CUOMO, Trump dismissed the document as “nothing new” and criticised Jack Smith as “deranged.” Trump accused the Harris-Biden administration of using the special counsel to undermine his campaign, claiming the document’s release was timed to hurt his re-election prospects.

Judge Chutkan will ultimately determine whether the case against Trump can proceed, considering the Supreme Court’s ruling on presidential immunity. Meanwhile, Trump faces additional legal challenges, including a 10-count indictment in Georgia related to election tampering and an ongoing battle over a separate 40-count indictment involving his handling of classified documents. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

As the 2024 election approaches, Trump’s legal battles remain at the forefront, potentially shaping the trajectory of his political future.