A group of Justice Department prosecutors believes they have enough evidence to charge Trump with obstruction of justice.
A group of Justice Department prosecutors believe there is sufficient evidence to charge Donald Trump with obstruction of justice, but the path to an actual indictment is far from clear.
The team that’s part of the classified records probe has not yet made a formal recommendation to Attorney General Merrick Garland, who would ultimately approve or reject such a move, according to people familiar with the matter. It’s also unlikely officials would bring only obstruction charges amid several other Trump investigations into potential crimes, the people said.
Some FBI agents oppose charging Trump because the case would be “political.” Other FBI agents support charging Trump, but as Bloomberg notes, what the FBI thinks is irrelevant because they don’t make the charging decisions.
Attorney General Merrick Garland and his team will be the people who will have the final call on whether or not Donald Trump is charged. The DOJ is unlikely to only bring obstruction of justice charges against Trump. It is more likely that Trump will face charges around his theft, mishandling, and refusing to turn over government documents.
The DOJ won’t file just any charges against Trump, and they will look to build the best and most winnable case possible before they charge the former president.
Donald Trump has broken the law many times before, during, and after his presidency ended. It is up to the DOJ to determine which case gives them the best odds of getting a conviction.
Mr. Easley is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
