A short guide to Donald Trump’s unindicted co-conspirators
The News
It took about a day for reporters to unpuzzle the identities of all six (for now) unindicted co-conspirators accused of trying to help Donald Trump overturn the 2020 election in the former president’s latest indictment. So, who’s on the roster of alleged accomplices? Here’s a quick rundown.
The co-conspirators
Co-Conspirator 1: Rudy Giuliani
Who is he? Trump’s wartime consigliere, who on Wednesday had his own extremely NSFW legal news cycle. We can’t stop you from clicking on that link, but seriously — don’t do it.
Indictment highlight: Giuliani allegedly called a Senator after the Jan. 6 riot asking them and other Republicans to delay the vote count until the next day.
Co-Conspirator 2: John Eastman
Who is he? The lawyer who concocted Trump’s scheme to have Vice President Mike Pence throw out the election result on Jan. 6.
Indictment highlight: Eastman allegedly lied to RNC chair Ronna McDaniel about Trump’s plans to organize slates of fake electors, telling her their votes would only be submitted if the president won some of his court cases challenging state results.
Co-Conspirator 3: Sidney Powell
Who is she? The lawyer best known for championing the fringiest of fringe election conspiracy theories in 2020, including the accusations against voting machine company Dominion that helped fuel its massive defamation suit against Fox News.
Indictment highlight: According to the indictment, Trump privately admitted to others that Powell’s claims sounded “crazy.”
Co-Conspirator 4: Jeffrey Clark
Who is he? The acting head of the Department of Justice’s civil division who aided the president’s bid to stay in power, despite orders from his boss not to talk with the White House.
Indictment highlight: When a White House lawyer warned there would be “riots in every major city” if Trump succeeded in overturning the election, Clark allegedly responded: “That’s why there’s an Insurrection Act.”
Co-Conspirator 5: Kenneth Chesebro
Who is he? The attorney who has been described as “the mastermind” behind Trump’s fake elector plot.
Indictment highlight: Chesebro warned a lawyer “it could appear treasonous” if Trump’s fake electors voted without using some sort of ongoing litigation about the election’s result as a pretext.
Co-Conspirator 6: Boris Epshteyn
Who is he? A lawyer and close political aide to Trump who describes himself as the former president’s in-house counsel. “Boris is a pair of heavy hands — he’s not Louis Brandeis,” Steve Bannon once said of him.
Indictment highlight: Epshteyn sent Giuliani a list of lawyers who could help with the fake elector scheme in various states — which, to be fair, is the role you’d expect your in-house counsel to play in such a scheme.
