LUZERNE COUNTY, Pa. — "I think this one is different in some ways because it really specifically to the 2020 election to January 6 and the events that took place and the counting of the electoral college votes," said Benjamin Toll, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Wilkes University.
Benjamin Toll, an assistant professor of political science at Wilkes University, says Donald Trump's third indictment means the 45th President faces multiple charges for spreading misinformation that encouraged the January 6 Capitol riots.
In just one example, the indictment indicates the former president said that 205,000 more votes were cast than voters in Pennsylvania during the 2020 general election, statistics he knew weren't true.
"A lot of the charges of the government is accusing President Trump, looking guilty of have to do with particularly trying to overturn the results of the election, making false statements, knowingly for statements to try to get a crowd riled up," explained Toll.
"There's just so much going on, you don't know who to believe," said Don Conant, Exeter.
Don Conant, who was attending a national night out celebration in Dallas Township, says the announcement of Trump's third indictment came as a shock. He says it will weigh heavily on his mind when considering the upcoming presidential election, "It's a bad time because the elections are coming up next year, so yeah there's a lot of things going on now."
Professor Toll says this indictment of the former president will be a talking point for the candidate who makes it on the presidential ballot, "Regardless of whether President Trump is a nominee for the Republican party or not he this discharges. All of this is gonna be a major part of the conversation, so unfortunately, if you are tired of hearing about this, we're gonna be here in about this for another long time."
According to Luzerne County polling data, in 2016 and 2020, Former President Trump won the county both times with more than 57% of the vote.
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