Trump Indictment Showcases Enron-Era Law’s Use in Jan. 6 Cases

The most serious charge in Donald Trump’s indictment for efforts to overturn the last presidential election has roots in the decades-old collapse of energy-trading giant Enron Corp. — and was revived recently as a key part of the Justice Department’s Jan. 6 prosecution playbook.

The 2002 statute — corruptly obstructing an official proceeding — was drafted by Congress to address the conduct of Enron’s outside auditor, Arthur Andersen, which destroyed documents as the government investigated. Prosecutors have wielded the felony against Trump supporters they allege committed some of the most serious criminal acts during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack ...