Special Counsel Jack Smith announced he will drop the case against President-elect Donald Trump for the Capitol Hill assault, asking for the case to be dismissed in a court filing. Smith had previously asked for a stay to consider what to do, given that a sitting president cannot be prosecuted and that there would not be time for a trial before the tycoon takes office .
Smith’s motion seeks to dismiss the case without prejudice, acknowledging that Justice Department policy prohibits prosecuting a sitting president. “This prohibition is categorical and does not depend on the seriousness of the crimes alleged, the strength of the government’s evidence, or the merits of the case, which the government fully supports,” Smith wrote. “Based on the department’s interpretation of the Constitution, the government seeks dismissal without prejudice of the indictment,” he continued. If the judge grants the motion as is, it would leave open the possibility that prosecutors could refile charges once Trump leaves office after his second term in the White House. But legal experts say it’s possible that the tycoon, once in office, could try something that has never been tested before: pardon himself to eliminate the possibility of future legal jeopardy .
Smith announced that he will also drop the case against President-elect Donald Trump over the secret papers taken to Mar-a-Lago. “This is a great victory,” said Steven Cheung, a spokesman for the president-elect of the United States, in a statement . “The American people re-elected President Trump with an overwhelming mandate to Make America Great Again. Today’s decision by the Department of Justice is a great victory for the rule of law. The American people and President Trump want an end to the political exploitation of our justice system, and we look forward to uniting our country.”
(Online Union)
