Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Salon
Salon
Politics
Alex Galbraith

Smith seeks to end Trump cases

Special Counsel Jack Smith is looking to wrap up his cases against Donald Trump following Trump's presidential election victory on Tuesday, per a report from ABC News

Smith has spent years building two cases against the president-elect, claiming that he conspired to overturn the 2020 election and illegally kept classified documents in his home at Mar-a-Lago. Those cases had to be almost entirely rebuilt following a Supreme Court ruling that granted widespread immunity to presidents while they are in office. 

Smith's narrowly focused new take on the cases was no less devastating, with legal experts telling Salon that Trump had little to no defense against the allegations made by the specially appointed prosecutor. The classified documents case was tossed by Trump-friendly judge Aileen Cannon in July, with Smith appealing that decision the following month.

Smith is reportedly seeking to squash the cases, as the Department of Justice has a long-standing policy not to prosecute sitting presidents.

Trump has made his intention to end Smith's DOJ tenure clear in interviews on the campaign trail. The president-elect said he would dismiss the Merrick Garland appointee "within two seconds" of being sworn in.

"We got immunity at the Supreme Court. It's so easy," Trump told radio host Hugh Hewitt in October. "He'll be one of the first things addressed." 

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.