Trahan: ‘He spearheaded the effort to overturn the will of the people’

By Christian M. Wade

BOSTON — Members of the state’s all-Democratic congressional delegation are reacting to the third indictment of former President Donald Trump over his actions leading up to and during the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Trump, the Republican presidential frontrunner for the 2024 elections, was indicted on four counts Tuesday by a grand jury convened by special counsel Jack Smith over alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

He faces charges of conspiracy to defraud the U.S., obstructing an official proceeding, obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding, and conspiracy against rights.

In deep-blue Massachusetts, where Democrats hold all 11 congressional seats, the governor’s office and a super majority in the state Legislature, reaction to the latest indictment against the former president was somewhat muted. But several officials issued statements, cautiously expressing support for the indictment.

Rep. Lori Trahan, D-Westford, said the indictment confirms her 2021 vote to impeach Trump “because he spearheaded the effort to overturn the will of the American people in the 2020 presidential election.”

“There’s no question that his actions leading up to and on January 6th directly incited the violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, and I believe Senate Republicans were derelict in their duty when they voted to acquit him during the trial,” she said in a statement.

Trahan called the indictment “a critical step forward” to hold the former president accountable for his actions on Jan. 6 but said “it isn’t a guilty verdict.” She urged her Democratic colleagues not to “interfere in this ongoing judicial matter.”

“The Special Counsel must now make the case for why Donald Trump should be convicted of these serious crimes, and the former president must have every opportunity to defend himself before a jury of his peers,” Trahan said.

Rep. Seth Moulton, a Salem Democrat, said the indictment sheds more light on how Trump “tried to destroy the most fundamental part of American democracy.”

“He did it knowing he lost,” Moulton posted on social media. “He doesn’t care about anything or anyone but himself, his personal enrichment, and his hold on power.”

Gov. Maura Healey, a Democrat and vocal Trump critic, hasn’t yet weighed in on the indictments. Neither did Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren, another frequent Trump critic.

Many Democrats, including President Joe Biden have been reluctant to speak about the indictments, for fear of stoking unrest ahead of next year’s presidential election.

The indictment is the latest legal challenge faced by Trump, the 2024 Republican frontrunner for president. He has also been indicted on criminal charges in a hush money case involving a former porn star, and a civil trial over his company’s business practices.

In Georgia, a county district attorney is expected soon to unveil charges against Trump over his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results in that state.

During a news conference, Smith said the Capitol attack “was an unprecedented assault on the seat of American democracy” that was “fueled by lies” by Trump and his six co-conspirators. He said the investigation of other individuals “continues” and that his office would be seeking a speedy trial in the case.

Trump has denied any wrongdoing and says he is being targeted by Democrats seeking to keep him from reclaiming the White House in next year’s presidential election.

Republicans have criticized the timing of the indictment, and argue that the move is part of an effort to deter criticism of President Joe Biden over a criminal case involving his son, Hunter Biden.

“Everyone in America could see what was going to come next: DOJ’s attempt to distract from the news and attack the frontrunner for the Republican nomination, President Trump,” House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said in a statement. “House Republicans will continue to uncover the truth about Biden Inc. and the two-tiered system of justice.”