In a surprising move on Monday, special counsel Jack Smith’s team decided to withdraw from their appeal in the case against two of former President Donald Trump’s co-defendants—his close aide, Walt Nauta, and Mar-a-Lago worker, Carlos De Oliveira. This case originally stemmed from Trump’s handling of classified documents, including sensitive information about U.S. nuclear secrets and defense plans.
A little background: Trump faced 37 charges related to the mishandling of classified materials, after he allegedly kept hundreds of documents that he refused to return. Both Nauta and De Oliveira also entered not guilty pleas, with accusations including trying to delete crucial surveillance footage from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate.
Last month, Jack Smith dropped his appeal against Trump due to a Department of Justice policy that prevents prosecuting a sitting president. But he was still moving forward with the case against Nauta and De Oliveira. That is, until now.
On Monday, Smith’s team handed over the case to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Florida. This shift marks a change in strategy, with the Southern District of Florida now taking the lead. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe, representing Florida’s federal prosecutors, officially entered the case, signaling this new direction.
As Smith wraps up his investigations, including a case involving Trump’s election interference, many are eagerly awaiting his final report to Attorney General Merrick Garland. It’s expected soon as Smith winds down his role as special counsel.
Stay tuned for more updates!
