- Trump's legal troubles are piling up after the DOJ searched Mar-a-Lago.
- The DOJ is investigating if Trump violated three federal laws.
- The January 6 commitee is also examining if Trump broke
- five federal laws.
This comes against the backdrop of the House select committee investigating the January 6 insurrection and Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results. The committee has used its public hearings this summer to try to build a case that Trump violated at least five federal laws.
Here is a breakdown of the eight federal laws that Trump potentially violated as the Justice Department and the January 6 committee continues investigating the former president.
Violation of the Espionage Act
The Justice Department is investigating if Trump violated the Espionage Act by gathering, transmitting, or losing national defense information. The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that the FBI took 11 sets of classified documents after searching former Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence.
One of the documents Trump possessed included records labeled with "Variousclassified/TS/SCI," which refers to sensitive government information, according to a copy of the warrant.
Concealment, removal, or mutilation of records
The Justice Department is investigating whether Trump violated two criminal statutes by attempting to conceal, remove or mutilate records to obstruct a federal investigation, according to a copy of the warrant. Federal authorities were also searching for evidence that Trump violated another federal law by enngaging in or attempting to damage, alter, or falsifiy records.
New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman had previously reported that Trump allegedly ripped up and flushed sensitive documents in the toilet. Earlier this week, Haberman shared photos with Insider that showcase paper notes in two toilet bowls.
'Wire Fraud'
The House select committee revealed in one of its hearings on June 13 that Trump's campaign raised more than $250 million from his supporters. In the fundraiser emails, his team suggested that Trump would use the money to create a fund to legally challenge the 2020 presidential election results.
The committee revealed that a fund of this kind was never created and was instead funneled to a new political action committee called "Save America."
Under current laws, wire fraud is committed if an individual intends to defraud or obtain money through false pretenses.
Obstructing an official proceeding
The January 6 committee has said that it has evidence to prove that Trump and his 2020 campaign team violated federal law by attempting to obstruct or impede an official proceeding.
Prosecutors could potentially point to him pressuring former Vice President Mike Pence to stop Congress's election certification process. Prosecutors could also use evidence on Trump's alleged scheme to send a fake slate of electors to reverse the outcome of the 2020 presidential elections.
Witness tampering
The January 6 committee has asserted that Trump and his associates have tried contacting some witnesses who have testified before the panel.
During a January 6 hearing on July 12, the committee provided new evidence that Trump tried to call a January 6 witness—an action that could have constituted witness tampering. Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, who is vice chair of the committee, said she referred the matter to the Justice Department.
In another hearing on June 28, Cheney presented two messages one of the witnesses received from an associate of Trump. Cheney did not disclose the witness's identity but read a description of the witness's call with the Trump associate.
Cheney said the witness told the committee that "What they said to me is, as long as I continue to be a team player, they know that I'm on the team, I'm doing the right thing, I'm protecting who I need to protect, you know, I'll continue to stay in good graces in Trump World."
Conspiracy to defraud the government
In a March 2 court filing, the January 6 committee said that it has evidence that Trump and his campaign team violated another federal law by engaging in "a criminal conspiracy to defraud the United States."
Prosecutors would have to prove that Trump knew he lost the 2020 election and continued to pursue efforts to overturn the election results.
During the public hearings, the January 6 panel played testimonies of former White House officials who repeatedly told Trump that there was no evidence of voter fraud and that he lost the election fairly.
Inciting a rebellion
Prosecutors could potentially build a case that the former president incited a rebellion on January 6 based on some of the committee's evidence.
A former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson testified before the January 6 committee that Trump allegedly knew his supporters were armed. Earlier on January 6, she recalled Trump saying: "I don't effing care that they have weapons. They're not here to hurt me. Take the effing mags away. Let my people in."
Prosecutors would have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Trump knew in advance that violence would occur on January 6.
