If a former federal prosecutor is right, a torn-up note could be a key piece of evidence for special counsel Jack Smith in his case against former President Donald Trump.
What To Know: After Trump lost to current President Joe Biden in the 2020 election, many believe he took steps to try to overturn the outcome.
In the weeks leading up to the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, Trump's national security advisor claimed that Trump could use military intervention to "rerun an election" in several key swing states that he lost.
The military shot down the idea.
"There’s no role for the U.S. military in determining the outcome of an American election," U.S. Army secretary Ryan McCarthy and then-U.S. Army chief of staff James McConville said in a joint statement.
Shortly after the military made its stance known, Trump aide John McEntee wrote a note to Trump that could be the proof Smith needs to show Trump's intent.
"Chris Miller spoke to both of them and anticipates no more statements coming out. (If another happens, he will fire them)," McEntee wrote in the note.
The former president ripped up the note, which has since been reconstructed and was used as part of the House Jan. 6 Committee’s investigation into the Capitol riot.
Former Justice Department official Andrew Weissmann argued that the note "absolutely" shows Trump's intent.
“As much as you think of it as a military organization with a hierarchy, they are also trained that they do not violate the Constitution. And when there’s an invalid order, they know that they cannot follow it because the Constitution comes first," Weissman reportedly said.
Why It Matters: Trump maintains his lead in the latest Republican Primary polls. Recent poll results from the New York Times and Siena College showed Biden behind Trump in five of the six most important swing states.
However, additional poll information showed that if Trump were to be convicted, his support in swing states could fall by about 6%, which could be enough to change the outcome of the election.
Trump is currently facing more than 90 criminal charges from four separate indictments.
Judge Tanya Chutkan is presiding over the federal case filed by Smith that alleges Trump made several attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results.
Read Next: Trump's Alleged Political Manipulation - Hunter Biden Calls For Subpoena
Photo: Gage Skidmore from Flickr.
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