Attorney Basic Merrick Garland appointed Smith in 2022 to analyze Trump's alleged purpose in Functioning to overturn the 2020 presidential election final results, in addition to allegations that he mishandled classified files.

“Adherence to your rule of legislation is often a bedrock theory from the Section of Justice,” Mr. Smith reported. “And our country’s commitment to your rule of legislation sets an example for the entire world. We have a single set of guidelines In this particular place, and so they implement to Anyone.”

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In earlier filings, Smith recommended to Cannon that disclosing the names on the prospective witnesses in the large-profile scenario exposes them to "significant and instant threats of threats, intimidation, and harassment.

The Supreme Court docket justices are predicted to listen to arguments on Trump's statements of presidential immunity on April twenty five. Trump has instructed that he'd such as the presidential immunity ruling to return following the 2024 presidential election.

There may be “no proof” that the prospect of felony prosecutions has hampered presidents in past times, he emphasized, and structural safeguards will protect against prosecutions for purely political reasons Down the road.

Smith argues that a former president can't cite immunity at the time they have got remaining Office environment, and committing crimes doesn't slide beneath the scope of their presidential obligations.

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Right after serving as being a prosecutor for the regional and federal levels in addition to a stint at the Global Felony Courtroom, Smith oversaw corruption circumstances as Main of your Justice Section’s public integrity device from 2010 to 2015.

"As explained in the indictment, it absolutely was fueled by lies. Lies from the defendant focused at obstructing a bedrock function of the U.S. governing administration: the nation's strategy of gathering, counting and certifying the final results of your presidential election."

"First, a President’s alleged felony plan to overturn an election and thwart the peaceful transfer of ability to his lawfully elected successor is the paradigmatic illustration of carry out that really should not be immunized, although other carry out needs to be."

Smith’s submitting arrived just two times just after Trump questioned the court to briefly block a choice by a federal appeals courtroom rejecting his declare of immunity, and six days ahead of the deadline the court docket had set for Smith to respond to Trump’s ask for.

Trump. He has granted no interviews, and stored a profile so low that a recent sighting of him rising from the Subway with lunch was news in the Justice Office headquarters across city.

“But any govt immunity that may have safeguarded him although he served as president no longer shields check here him towards this prosecution.”