Judge says Trump likely broke the law by trying to obstruct Congress from confirming Biden win

Attorney John Eastman gestures as he speaks next to U.S. President Donald Trump’s personal attorney Rudy Giuliani, as Trump supporters gather ahead of the president’s speech to contest the certification by the U.S. Congress of the results of the 2020 U.S. presidential election on the Ellipse in Washington, U.S, January 6, 2021.

A federal judge said Monday that Donald Trump probably broke the law when he tried to obstruct the confirmation of President Joe Biden.

In a court ruling, Judge David Carter wrote that Trump and his lawyer, John Eastman, launched a campaign to overturn a democratic election.

Vice President Mike Pence could reject the certification of Biden's election win by a joint session of Congress if he wanted to.

Carter wrote in the ruling that the campaign was not limited to the ivory tower and was a coup in search of a legal theory.

If the plan had worked, it would have ended the peaceful transition of power and undermined American democracy.

January 6 will repeat itself if the country does not commit to investigating and pursuing accountability for those responsible.

Carter's stinging comments came after he ordered Eastman to give 101 documents to the committee.

The judge found that 10 other documents were privileged and should not be given to the committee.

At a rally for Trump held outside the White House earlier that day, the then-president and his allies called on Congress and the vice president to block Biden's victory.

The Capitol complex was invaded by a mob of Trump supporters. The proceedings were disrupted for hours because of a riot and the news that Biden would become president.

The spokesman for the House committee, as well as the attorney for the man, did not return requests for comment on Carter's ruling.

Kevin Breuninger provides additional reporting.

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