US Special Council dismisses Trump`s classified documents case
Date
7/16/2024 8:25:46 AM
(MENAFN) The case against former President Donald trump concerning the alleged mishandling of classified documents has been dismissed by United States Special Counsel Jack Smith, primarily due to the legality of Smith's appointment being questioned. Judge Aileen Cannon ruled that the secondment of Smith to this case was not lawful, leading to the dismissal of the prosecution.
Special Counsel Smith was appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland to investigate Trump for allegedly retaining classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida after leaving the White House. The investigation also included examining claims of a conspiracy to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.
Judge Cannon articulated that none of the statutes referenced as legal authority for Smith's appointment provide the Attorney General with the broad power to appoint an inferior officer capable of wielding the extensive prosecutorial authority that Smith possessed. She noted that Smith's arguments lacked convincing statutory backing and relied on inconsistent historical interpretations.
In response to the ruling, Trump took to Truth Social to declare, “This dismissal of the lawless indictment in Florida should be just the first step, followed quickly by the dismissal of ALL the witch hunts.” He called for unity to end what he termed the "weaponization" of the justice system, advocating for a return to making America great again.
The case originated from an FBI raid on Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in August 2022, during which several boxes of documents were seized. According to reports from *The Washington Post*, some of these materials contained sensitive information related to United States nuclear secrets, Iran's missile program, and American intelligence operations in China.
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