Jack Smith  Special Counsel,  in the Third Indictment Returned Today Against Former President donald j. trump jr.

This afternoon around 5:30, it was announced by MSNBC and CNN cable news that former president donald j. trump, jr. has been indicted by a grand jury in Washington, D.C.  The 45 page indictment is based on four criminal counts. One of the criminal counts is “conspiracy to defraud the US.”

It was also reported that six co-conspirators were unnamed and unindicted in the indictment.  Five of those co-conspirators were attorneys. There was a political consultant named  co-conspirator whose identity is not known. This was many more co-conspirators than anticipated by MSNBC cable news pundits.

The judge, Tanya Chutkan, is considered to be well-qualified to handle this case.  She is highly respected and does not play politics according to a cable news pundit.   She is considered to be fair-minded and respectful of defendants’ rights. She was appointed by President Obama.

At 6:15 pm., special counsel Jack Smith made the formal and brief announcement of the indictment of former president donald  trump, Jr.  Smith said that the assault on the nation’s capitol was an assault by the defendant on American democracy. The men and women who defended the buildings and those inside the building, are “heroes” and “patriots. They are the very best of us.” Smith said that he sought a speedy trial.

It is believed that the attorneys referred to as co-conspirators and unindicted and unnamed may be:  Rudy Giuliani, Sydney Powell, Jeffrey Clark, John Eastman and Kenneth Cheseboro, a pro-trump lawyer.  Speculation by cable news anchors for not indicting the six is to give them the opportunity to make a deal with special counsel Jack Smith against trump and to put the focus of responsibility on trump himself – where it belongs.

At 6:30 pm, AG M. Garland issued a brief statement stating that special counsel Jack Smith had followed the facts and laws in the indictment announced this afternoon.  He urged the public to read the indictment itself.  The indictment has been called a “shouting” indictment because it details the crimes alleged against Trump so unequivocally. Trump is to appear in court for an arraignment on Thursday afternoon,  August 3, 2023.

This evening on CNN cable news, John Louro, a new trump attorney said this indictment is an attack on “free speech.This is an attempt to criminalize political speech.”  A response is:  “You can not lie for the purpose of cheating to steal an election.”

Senator Susan Collins (R) communications director Annie Clark did not respond to an inquiry from this blogger for the Senator’s reaction to the indictment.