Staff Reports
The U.S. Supreme Court is gearing up to weigh in on a critical case that could have major implications for the government’s relentless pursuit of Donald Trump, President Biden’s leading 2024 rival. The case revolves around Joseph Fischer, a man indicted on seven charges following events on January 6, 2021, at the Capitol.
Supreme Court to Hear Challenge to Obstruction Charge Case with Implications for Trump https://t.co/qExaCaanSf
— Niuwai (@niuwai) December 14, 2023
The burning question at hand is whether Fischer can be nailed with obstructing an official proceeding, a charge that could significantly hinder the government’s attempts to prosecute Trump. The provision under scrutiny, known as 18 U.S.C. 1512, was originally put in place after the Enron scandal, aimed at targeting those involved in white-collar crime. However, Biden’s Justice Department is attempting to twist and contort the law to drag their political opponents through the court system.
Trump’s allies are celebrating what they view as a major setback for U.S. Special Counsel Jack Smith and his broad interpretation of the statute. “Today was a bad day for Jack Smith, and a good day for the rule of law,” former U.S. Ambassador Ken Blackwell passionately declared.
Prosecutors allege Fischer attacked police officers to disrupt the certification of the 2020 election results. However, Trump’s involvement in the case is a central concern, as the statute in question forms a pivotal part of Smith’s pursuit of the former president. The trial for Trump is set to commence on March 4, 2024, but the Supreme Court’s review of this issue could potentially throw a spanner in the works for Smith’s case.
Judge Greg Katsas of the D.C. Circuit appeals court has voiced dissent, arguing that the statute used by Smith was never intended to be applied in this manner. He pointed out that the statute, which has been utilized in thousands of cases over the past two decades, was uniformly treated as an evidence-impairment crime until the January 6 riot prosecutions emerged.
In the grand scheme of things, this case, known as Fischer v. United States, is about the government’s attempt to wield its power and silence those who dare challenge its authority. If the Supreme Court rules against charging Fischer with obstructing an official proceeding, it may deliver a massive blow to Biden’s Justice Department and their desperate efforts to pin down Trump and his allies.
