On Tuesday morning, the Department of Justice made waves by releasing a detailed report from former special counsel Jack Smith. The 137-page report dives into the investigation of Donald Trump’s alleged attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. Along with the report came a letter from Smith to Attorney General Merrick Garland, where he stood firmly by his decision to prosecute Trump. Smith didn’t hold back, calling Trump’s claims that the Biden administration directed his actions “laughable.”
This report had been eagerly awaited, and its release followed a temporary injunction that had been in place. The injunction, issued by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, expired Monday night after she rejected a last-minute request from Trump to extend it. Cannon, notably a Trump appointee, declined to delay the release until Friday, clearing the way for the report to be made public.
In his letter, Smith praised his team, calling them some of the most capable and ethical professionals he had ever worked with. He said he had full confidence that the evidence gathered during their investigation proved that Trump broke federal laws. Smith specifically pointed to Trump’s alleged efforts to stay in power after losing the 2020 election and his handling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago.
Smith explained that the investigation led him to believe prosecution was necessary under the Department of Justice’s guidelines. He described Trump’s actions as some of the most serious offenses imaginable, causing significant public harm and leaving no doubt about the evidence.
The letter also made one thing very clear: the decision to bring charges against Trump was Smith’s alone. He emphasized that no one in the Justice Department interfered with or influenced his decisions as special counsel. He also dismissed Trump’s claims of political influence from the Biden administration, calling those accusations ridiculous.
Smith noted that Garland had the power to override his decisions but chose not to. He stressed that neither Garland, the Deputy Attorney General, nor anyone else at the DOJ ever tried to improperly sway his judgment.
However, there’s an important catch. While Smith recommended charges against Trump, those charges were ultimately dropped because of a long-standing DOJ policy that prevents the indictment and prosecution of a sitting president. Despite this, Smith made it clear that he believed his investigation had gathered enough evidence to convict Trump of serious federal crimes.
The report’s final paragraphs drive this point home. Smith reiterated that the decision not to prosecute Trump was based solely on DOJ policy, not on the strength of the evidence. He expressed confidence that, if Trump hadn’t been president or on the verge of re-election, the evidence would have led to a conviction in court.
This report has added another chapter to the ongoing saga of Trump’s legal battles, leaving many to wonder what comes next as the political landscape continues to shift.
