In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court ruled on Friday that the Justice Department had overstepped in charging hundreds of individuals involved in the January 6, 2021, riot at the US Capitol with obstruction. This ruling could potentially lead to prosecutors reopening some of these cases.
Furthermore, the high court stated that the obstruction charge could still be filed against the rioters if prosecutors could prove that they were not just trying to enter the building, but also attempting to prevent the certification of electoral votes.
Special counsel Jack Smith is expected to continue pursuing the obstruction charge against former President Donald Trump in light of the Supreme Court’s decision.
Chief Justice John Roberts authored the opinion for a 6-3 majority, with both conservative and liberal justices weighing in. Justice Amy Coney Barrett dissented, along with Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan.
Roberts emphasized a detailed analysis of the law, focusing less on the Capitol attack itself. He noted that the breach of the Capitol led to the evacuation of Congress members, temporarily halting the certification process.
The Supreme Court’s opinion is likely to impact many of the January 6 prosecutions, but may not affect charges against Trump specifically, as his case involves allegations of attempting to alter the electoral votes Congress was considering.
According to federal prosecutors, there are approximately 249 pending cases related to the obstruction charge affected by the Supreme Court’s ruling. Of the 52 individuals already convicted and sentenced with this charge as their only felony, 27 are currently serving prison sentences.
As this story continues to develop, additional details may emerge.
