Final Special Counsel Report Reveals Deep Scheme, False Electors, and Constitutional Fallout.
After more than two years of investigations, Special Counsel Jack Smith delivered a sweeping final report on the criminal case against former President Donald J. Trump, detailing a complex campaign to overturn the 2020 election through deceit, pressure tactics, and misuse of power.
“The throughline of all of Mr. Trump’s criminal efforts was deceit,” the report states.
"Knowingly false claims of election fraud… used as a weapon to defeat a federal government function foundational to the democratic process."
The case focused on Trump’s post-election actions and culminated in four felony charges - but it was ultimately dismissed following his re-election in November 2024, due to longstanding DOJ policy that a sitting president cannot be prosecuted.
📜 A Timeline of Unprecedented Interference
The report breaks Trump’s efforts down into distinct prongs:
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State-level pressure to block certification of results
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The fraudulent elector scheme in seven states
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Attempts to use the Department of Justice to spread false claims
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Coercion of Vice President Pence
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And the infamous events of January 6, 2021
☎️ Pressure, Intimidation, and False Promises
Trump and his allies targeted Republican state officials in battleground states with false claims of voter fraud - seeking to reverse vote tallies or install fake elector slates.
"I just want to find 11,780 votes," Trump told Georgia’s Secretary of State, referencing the margin Biden won by.
"That’s a big risk to you… that’s a criminal offense."
In Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and elsewhere, state leaders rebuffed Trump’s entreaties, often documenting that no evidence supported his claims.
In one meeting, Trump’s campaign attorney Rudy Giuliani allegedly admitted,
"We don’t have the evidence, but we have a lot of theories."
🗳️ The Fake Elector Conspiracy
Despite knowing he lost, Trump oversaw a secret plan to organize slates of "alternate electors" in states he lost.
Seven fraudulent certificates - in states like Michigan, Georgia, and Nevada - were mailed to Congress to mimic legitimate electoral vote submissions.
"Alternative votes is probably a better term than fake votes," wrote one campaign staffer in emails, noting the plan should be "kept under wraps."
Many Trump-supporting individuals who signed the fraudulent elector documents were reportedly deceived, told it was a procedural backup. But a select few knew the truth: the plan was to pressure Vice President Pence to use them to block or delay certification on January 6th.
⚖️ Misusing DOJ & Threats of Prosecution
Unable to sway state officials or courts, Trump turned inward - attempting to weaponize the Justice Department.
He nearly installed a loyalist in the DOJ to launch sham election investigations and issue false letters to states suggesting fraud had occurred.
"Just say the election was corrupt," Trump allegedly told DOJ officials.
"Leave the rest to me and the Republican congressmen."
The officials refused, citing lack of evidence - triggering near-resignations at the top of DOJ.
🔥 January 6th: Orchestrating the Final Move
The final move in the effort to stay in power culminated on January 6, 2021.
Trump publicly summoned supporters to Washington:
"Big protest in D.C. on January 6th. Be there, will be wild!"
Privately, he urged Pence to block or delay certification.
"You’re too honest," he reportedly told Pence when the VP refused.
When rioters stormed the Capitol, Trump watched from the White House, refusing to call off the mob for hours. Some of his closest advisors and family pleaded with him to intervene.
🧾 Legal Charges, Then Dismissal
On August 1, 2023, a federal grand jury indicted Trump on four counts:
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Conspiracy to defraud the United States
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Obstruction of an official proceeding
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Conspiracy against rights
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Obstruction of election certification
But following Trump’s re-election in November 2024, DOJ moved to dismiss the case, citing its internal policy.
"The Constitution forbids the federal indictment and prosecution of a sitting President," reads the report.
Smith emphasized the dismissal was not an exoneration - only a procedural necessity.
💥 No Precedent in History
The report stresses the unprecedented nature of Trump’s conduct:
"Mr. Trump’s conduct had no historical analogue."
"No prior president has engaged in a coordinated scheme to overturn the electoral process."
Officials from within Trump’s own campaign, his DOJ, and state leaders consistently warned him of the falsehoods he was promoting - but he persisted.
🧠 Prosecutorial Final Word
"The decision to bring charges was mine," Smith writes.
"To have done otherwise would have been to shirk my duties as a prosecutor and public servant."
Even though the case was dismissed post-election, Smith said the team stood up for the rule of law, documenting abuses so history could judge.
