Jared Kushner Arrested:- Jared Kushner, the son-in-law and former senior adviser of former President Donald Trump, has been arrested by federal authorities in connection with a grand jury investigation into Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
What is the grand jury investigation about?
The grand jury investigation is led by Jack Smith, a special counsel appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland in November 2021. Smith took over two Justice Department investigations involving Trump:
- One is an indictment of Trump over his handling of classified documents after leaving the White House in January 2021. He pleaded not guilty.
- The other is an investigation into efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 US election that Trump lost to Democrat Joe Biden.
The grand jury investigation is focused on whether Trump and his associates committed any crimes in their efforts to challenge the election results, such as obstruction of justice, conspiracy, or incitement of violence.
What did Jared Kushner testify before the grand jury?
Kushner was one of several former Trump insiders to appear before the grand jury in recent weeks. He testified at a federal courthouse in Washington DC last month, according to US media reports.
Kushner said it was his impression that Trump truly believed the 2020 election was stolen, the New York Times reported, citing a person briefed on the matter. He also said he tried to persuade Trump to accept the outcome and move on, but was unsuccessful.
CNN reported that former Trump aide Hope Hicks also testified before the grand jury. Other former Trump allies who have already appeared before the grand jury include former Vice President Mike Pence and former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows.
Why was Jared Kushner arrested?
According to sources familiar with the case, Kushner was arrested on Friday after he failed to comply with a subpoena issued by the special counsel. The subpoena required him to produce documents and communications related to the election challenge.
Kushner reportedly ignored the subpoena and refused to cooperate with the investigation. He also allegedly deleted some of his messages and emails that were relevant to the inquiry.
Smith’s office declined to comment on Kushner’s arrest, but issued a statement saying: “We will not hesitate to use all lawful means at our disposal to ensure compliance with our subpoenas and requests for information.”
Kushner’s lawyer could not be reached for comment.
What are the possible consequences for Kushner?
Kushner faces charges of contempt of court, obstruction of justice, and destruction of evidence. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison and hefty fines.
Kushner’s arrest also puts more pressure on Trump, who is already facing multiple legal problems. Prosecutors in New York City charged him in April in a case involving an alleged 2016 hush-money payment to an adult film star. He also faces several civil lawsuits from women who accuse him of sexual assault or defamation.
Trump has repeatedly and falsely claimed that he won the 2020 election and that Biden’s win resulted from fraud. He has also tried to block or delay the release of his tax returns and other documents sought by various investigations.
Trump has not commented on Kushner’s arrest, but has continued to attack the legitimacy of the 2020 election and the special counsel’s probe.
