Legal experts are weighing in on a “striking,” “massive,” “monumental,” and “historic” federal district judge’s ruling that reads: “Based on the evidence, the Court finds it more likely than not that President Trump corruptly attempted to obstruct the Joint Session of Congress on January 6, 2021.”
CNN Senior Legal Analyst Elie Honig, a former federal prosecutor, writes: “A federal judge has formally found that Trump more likely than not committed a federal felony connected to the coup attempt.”
“That’s a different and lower standard than prosecutors must show (‘beyond a reasonable doubt’) — but it’s a remarkable finding and sends a stark message,” Honig writes. He also says it puts “more pressure on DOJ to take action.”
National security lawyer Bradley Moss, responding to an ABC News reporter’s observations says the judge’s ruling implicates Rudy Giuliani as well.
That reporter, Katherine Faulders, calls the ruling a “big deal,” and posts a screenshot of part of the ruling that says the Eastman memo “likely furthered the crimes of obstruction of an official proceeding and conspiracy to defraud the United States.”
Calling it a “massive” ruling Politico’s Kyle Cheney writes: “Judge also determined that Trump and EASTMAN likely engaged in a conspiracy [sic] to obstruct Congress.”
“This may be the first judicial ruling in history determining that a sitting president likely committed crimes,” he adds.
Reuters legal affairs reporter Jan Wolfe calls the judge’s ruling “historic.”
And attorney Luppe B. Luppen calls the judge’s ruling “monumental.”