Special Counsel Jack Smith has revealed additional information regarding President Trump’s alleged inaction to prevent the demonstrations held on January 6, which was made public via a leak to ABC News before Trump appealed for immunity claims.
President Trump had instructed his supporters to “peacefully and patriotically” protest that day.
The recent report has emphasized senior advisor Dan Scavino’s involvement in the incident.
“Special counsel Jack Smith’s team has uncovered previously undisclosed details about former President Donald Trump’s refusal to help stop the violent attack on the U.S. Capitol three years ago as he sat watching TV inside the White House, according to sources familiar with what Smith’s team has learned during its Jan. 6 probe.” ABC News reported.
Excerpt from ABC News:
Many of the exclusive details come from the questioning of Trump’s former deputy chief of staff, Dan Scavino, who first started working for Trump as a teenager three decades ago and is now a paid senior adviser to Trump’s reelection campaign. Scavino wouldn’t speak with the House select committee that conducted its own probe related to Jan. 6, but — after a judge overruled claims of executive privilege last year — he did speak with Smith’s team, and key portions of what he said were described to ABC News.
Sources said Scavino told Smith’s investigators that as the violence began to escalate that day, Trump “was just not interested” in doing more to stop it.
Sources also said former Trump aide Nick Luna told federal investigators that when Trump was informed that then-Vice President Mike Pence had to be rushed to a secure location, Trump responded, “So what?” — which sources said Luna saw as an unexpected willingness by Trump to let potential harm come to a longtime loyalist.
According to sources, when speaking with Smith’s team, Scavino recalled telling Trump in a phone call the night of Jan. 6: “This is all your legacy here, and there’s smoke coming out of the Capitol.”
Scavino hoped Trump would finally help facilitate a peaceful transfer of power, sources said.
A recent news report has been released by ABC News, just two days before the DC Circuit Court of Appeals hears oral arguments about President Trump’s claims for immunity from federal prosecution.
In January 2021, Trump was charged with four counts by Jack Smith in the DC case: conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding, and conspiracy against rights.
In response, Trump’s lawyers argued that he is immune from criminal charges due to his former role as US President. Smith then bypassed the appellate court and appealed directly to the US Supreme Court regarding this issue.
However, without comment or explanation, the justices declined Smith’s request and determined that it must go through the appropriate appeals process first.
The DC Circuit Court of Appeals will now consider this matter on January 9th.
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