Former President Donald Trump is now a target of a federal criminal investigation into possible mishandling of classified information after he left office. His lawyers have been informed of this development, and Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith is nearly finished collecting testimony and evidence in the case. The news of the investigation has been met with mixed reactions from both sides of the aisle, and it remains to be seen how the situation will play out and what the final outcome will be.
Posts tagged as “Jack Smith”
Steve Bannon, a former White House strategist and ally of former President Donald Trump, has been subpoenaed by a federal grand jury in Washington, D.C. in connection with the investigation into the 2020 presidential election and the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. The subpoena is for documents and testimony and is part of an investigation into Trump's actions surrounding the attack and his efforts to interfere with the peaceful transfer of power. Political strategists have noted Bannon's encouragement of Trump's efforts to overturn the election and his resistance to Joe Biden's presidency.
Taylor Budowich, former spokesperson and aide to former President Donald Trump, testified before a federal grand jury in Miami, Fla., as part of special counsel Jack Smith's investigation into Trump's records retention. In response, Budowich criticized the investigation as a "bogus and deeply troubling effort" and Trump himself has denied any wrongdoing. The investigation is ongoing and is part of a larger inquiry into Trump's business dealings and potential ties to Russia.
Former President Donald Trump's lawyers were spotted at the Justice Department on Monday, as the grand jury investigating Trump's handling of classified documents is expected to meet again this week. Special counsel Jack Smith is investigating Trump after documents with classified markings were found at his Florida residence, Mar-a-Lago, in August 2022. Three of Trump's lawyers were seen walking into the Justice Department, and prosecutors are looking into whether there were efforts to obstruct attempts to recover the records. It is unclear when a charging decision will be made, or if the Justice Department will take any action against Trump or his associates.
Tim Parlatore, former attorney of Donald Trump, predicted on NBC News' "Meet the Press" that Trump may not face any charges in the Justice Department's investigation into his handling of classified documents. Parlatore compared the case to the investigation of Hillary Clinton's emails, noting that he was against prosecuting her. He added that there are a lot of additional problems or procedures that have to be gone through with that type of case. This assessment contradicts other legal experts who have said Trump is very likely to face criminal charges.
Federal prosecutors have obtained a recording of former President Donald Trump discussing a sensitive military document during a July 2021 meeting at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey. The recording is a crucial piece of evidence in the ongoing investigation of Trump's handling of classified documents, and could be seen as obstruction of the investigation. It has been presented in grand-jury proceedings by special counsel Jack Smith's office, and the outcome of the investigation is yet to be determined.
Special Counsel Jack Smith is nearing the end of his investigation into former President Donald Trump's refusal to return classified documents related to his time spent at Mar-a-Lago. This follows a legal battle from two decades ago, when the EPA brought a civil lawsuit against Michigan resident John Rapanos for filling in three wetlands on his property without federal Clean Water Act permits. Sources close to the matter have indicated that possible criminal charges could be announced in the days or weeks following Memorial Day.
Trump's team was aware of the scheduled visit and held a dress rehearsal ahead of time.