Former President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty to charges relating to his attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
Trump was arraigned on four charges outlined in special counsel Jack Smith’s indictment: conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding and conspiracy against rights.
The indictment says Trump “was determined to remain in power” despite losing the election.
To attain that goal, the indictment says the former president “spread lies that there had been outcome-determinative fraud in the election and that he had actually won.”
“These claims were false, and the defendant knew they were false,” but “repeated and widely disseminated them anyway,” the indictment adds.
At Thursday’s arraignment U.S. Magistrate Judge Moxila Upadhyaya also warned Trump to not commit a crime and to not attempt to influence a juror, or risk being sent to jail.
