FRIDAY 6/9/23

(PHOTO: Special Counsel Jack Smith unsealed the Justice Department's 49-page indictment of Donald J. Trump over the former president's alleged retention of classified documents, Friday. Smith promised a speedy trial, to be held in the Southern District of Florida.)

UPDATE: Evidence behind Donald J. Trump's indictment includes a 2021 audio recording in which he says of an apparently secret document, "As president, I could have declassified it, but now I can't." This from The Washington Post quoting "a person familiar with a transcript of the remarks." It has become increasingly apparent, WaPo reports, that Trump's own words could serve as the most severe evidence against him.

Ex-President Trump says he will surrender to court Tuesday after being indicted by a Florida grand jury on seven counts in the case of classified documents stashed at his Mar-a-Lago compound after he left the White House. Charges include conspiracy to obstruct justice, willful retention of documents in violation of the Espionage Act, false statements and a conspiracy count, people familiar with the indictment told The New York Times.

Trump attorney Jim Trusty told CNN the legal team had not been shown the indictment itself, but that a summary commanding the former president to appear in court contained language that suggests the counts would include obstructing an official effort and witness tampering or other means of obstructing an official proceeding,

--Compiled and edited by Todd Lassa