Donald Trump has been accused by U.S. prosecutors of ordering employees at his Florida resort to delete security videos while he was under investigation for retaining classified documents. The case against the former president has been broadened, and a second member of his staff, Carlos De Oliveira, has been charged with conspiracy to obstruct justice for helping Trump hide documents. De Oliveira allegedly instructed another worker at the resort to delete security videos after they were subpoenaed by the Justice Department. He has also been charged with lying to the FBI about his involvement in moving boxes of classified documents. De Oliveira’s lawyer has not yet commented on the charges.
The new criminal counts against Trump were filed by U.S. Special Counsel Jack Smith, bringing the total to 40. The charges against De Oliveira were made public shortly after Trump’s attorneys met with Justice Department officials investigating his attempts to overturn the 2020 election. Trump’s campaign responded to the charges by accusing the Biden administration of harassment.
Trump had previously pleaded not guilty to federal charges of unlawfully retaining classified government documents and obstructing justice. He is the first former U.S. president to face criminal charges and has already been indicted twice this year. However, these charges have not affected his standing as the front-runner for the Republican nomination in the 2024 election. In fact, Trump’s lead over Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has grown according to a recent RushHourDaily/Ipsos poll.
Trump is scheduled to go to trial in New York in March 2024 and in Florida in May 2024. The trial dates may coincide with the Republican nomination process, but Special Counsel Smith’s team has stated that they will work to ensure the new charges do not cause any delays. Another Trump aide, Walt Nauta, has also been charged with helping the former president hide documents.
According to the indictment, Nauta and De Oliveira moved 64 boxes of records to Trump’s residence after the Justice Department subpoenaed him. Only 30 of the boxes were later returned for inspection. De Oliveira is set to appear in court in Miami on Monday. Prosecutors have also revealed that they recovered a highly classified document in which Trump discussed a “plan of attack” against another country during an interview at his New Jersey golf resort.
In conclusion, the article highlights the latest developments in the case against Donald Trump, including the charges against Carlos De Oliveira and Walt Nauta. It also mentions Trump’s lead in the Republican nomination race for the 2024 election and provides details about the upcoming trials.
