Criminal defense attorney Arthur Aidala pushed back against claims that former President Donald Trump should have faced legal consequences for the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Speaking on CNN NewsNight with host Abby Phillip, Aidala stated there was “no evidence” that Trump conspired to incite or organize the riot.
“The president of the United States, him personally? No. Why? Because he doesn’t meet the threshold for acting in concert or conspiracy. There was no evidence that there was a real conspiracy under the letter of the law,” Aidala explained.
Phillip pressed further, arguing that Trump’s rhetoric encouraged the protest and should warrant accountability. Aidala responded that such actions did not meet the legal standard for federal criminal charges. Republican strategist Melik Abdul added that Trump had already been “held responsible” through impeachment. He emphasized that if there had been a criminal case to be made, the Biden administration’s Justice Department would have pursued charges.
Aidala also addressed what he called a politically motivated legal campaign against Trump, arguing that the Department of Justice, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, and the New York Attorney General had weaponized the legal system against him. He pointed out that the case brought by Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg was the first of its kind in U.S. history, reinforcing the argument that Trump was selectively targeted.
The discussion also referenced legal efforts to disqualify Trump from the 2024 election. Both the Colorado Supreme Court and Maine’s Democratic Secretary of State attempted to remove him from the ballot, citing the 14th Amendment’s “insurrection” clause. However, the Supreme Court unanimously overturned Colorado’s decision, reaffirming Trump’s eligibility.
As legal battles continue, Aidala maintains that the pursuit of Trump has been politically driven rather than grounded in legal precedent.
