The Justice Department released Special Counsel Jack Smith's final report on Tuesday (January 14), detailing President-elect Donald Trump's alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. The report, spanning 137 pages, concludes that there was enough evidence to convict Trump if the case had gone to trial. Smith's investigation focused on Trump's actions leading up to the January 6 Capitol riot.
Smith accused Trump of an "unprecedented criminal effort" to subvert the election. The report outlines various strategies Trump allegedly used, including pressuring officials to stop vote counts, organizing false slates of electors, and urging Vice President Mike Pence to reject electoral votes.
Despite the evidence, the Justice Department dismissed the case after Trump's election victory, citing constitutional constraints against prosecuting a sitting president. Smith maintained that the evidence was sufficient for conviction, but Trump's return to the presidency prevented further legal action.
Smith defended his investigation's independence, stating that neither Attorney General Merrick Garland nor the Biden administration influenced his decisions. The report, however, only covers one of the criminal cases against Trump, with another involving classified documents still pending.
Trump criticized the report on Truth Social, claiming innocence and accusing Smith of using "illegally destroyed" evidence.
You can read the report here.