As 2024 race begins, special counsel advances with focus on Trump lawyers
Source: Washington Post
The probes are led by special counsel Jack Smith, who was appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland to insulate the work from political influence. Smith’s pace appears to be quickening as the 2024 presidential election starts to take shape, with Trump once again a candidate and President Biden — Garland’s boss — poised to seek a second term. Trump so far has two declared Republican opponents. Legal experts say that if Smith brings criminal charges against Trump, those charges would likely be pending when the GOP primary debates begin in August.
In recent weeks, the special counsel has issued a flurry of grand jury subpoenas to high-profile witnesses, including former vice president Mike Pence and former chief of staff Mark Meadows. Smith has also imposed strict deadlines for responses in what may be a push to reach internal charging decisions this spring, people familiar with the investigations said. Some of the requests for information, including of Corcoran, have triggered closed-door legal battles that could significantly complicate that time frame.
“Whenever prosecutors become fixated on the defense attorneys, that’s usually a good indication their underlying case is very weak,” Trump spokesman Steven Cheung said in a statement. “Every American has the right to consult with counsel and have candid discussions — this promotes adherence to the law. We will fight the Special Counsel on this point and all others that jeopardize fundamental American rights and values.”
A spokesperson for Smith declined to comment.
In the documents case, prosecutors are examining whether Trump or his aides mishandled classified information, flouted a subpoena seeking the return of classified documents or attempted to obstruct government efforts to retrieve those materials. The investigation of events surrounding the 2020 election seems broader, with Smith and his team probing the funding and organizing of fake-elector slates and the events leading up to the riot at the U.S. Capitol. A state-level investigation of 2020 election-related activities in Georgia is also underway, with charging decisions expected this spring or summer.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/03/03/trump-documents-jan6-investigation-lawyers/
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