Donald Trump, the former president, refused to accept a plea agreement in the Mar-a-Lago case unless a particular need was met.
On Thursday, former President Donald Trump faced a series of criminal charges in a case involving classified documents. The Department of Justice (DOJ) had been investigating this matter, and a federal grand jury decided to indict him.
Trump Asserts Innocence Despite Evidence in Indictment
Federal prosecutors have accused Trump of mishandling sensitive presidential records that he took with him after leaving office in January 2021. They also allege that he obstructed government efforts to recover these documents.
The charges against him include 31 counts of intentionally retaining documents containing sensitive or classified information related to U.S. and foreign military capabilities, U.S. and foreign nuclear programs, hypothetical invasion plans, and other matters.
Despite the substantial evidence presented in the indictment, Trump maintains his innocence in this case. During an interview with Politico on Saturday, he expressed his commitment to participating in the 2024 presidential race and criticized the prosecutors bringing charges against him, referring to them as thugs and degenerates.
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Arraignment Scheduled in Miami Federal Court
Trump also predicted that he will not be convicted on the federal charges related to the documents case. He additionally mentioned the possibility of pardoning himself if he were to win reelection in 2024, an idea that has been discussed by many commentators.
However, he justified this notion by stating that he does not believe the charges against him will hold up.
The former president is scheduled to appear in a Miami federal court for his arraignment on Tuesday. The proceedings will be overseen by Judge Aileen Cannon, whom he appointed to the position during the final months of his presidency. Due to the judge’s connections to Trump, there have been calls for her recusal from the case.
Following the indictment on Thursday, Trump urged his supporters through his Truth Social account to attend a rally outside the court during his arraignment on Tuesday.
It is worth noting that he made a similar call after being indicted on state-level charges in Manhattan in March for alleged violations of campaign finance laws, although the resulting turnout was small. Trump continues to assert his innocence in that case as well.
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