If you’re not thoroughly tired of politics and are wondering where the next big thing might be popping up, might I suggest it’ll be in Florida, which may be no surprise, but it may involve a nightmare for Mr Trump:
President-elect Donald Trump and his former co-defendants in the Florida classified documents case launched an effort Monday to block the release of a final report by special counsel Jack Smith that also addresses the election interference case.
Both cases against Trump have been dismissed.
Lawyers for defendants Walt Nauta and Carlos De Oliveira filed a motion Monday night asking U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon to block Smith, who prosecuted the case, from issuing his report. They cited the judge’s previous ruling that Smith’s appointment was unconstitutional.
“The Final Report promises to be a one-sided, slanted report, relying nearly exclusively on evidence presented to a grand jury and subject to all requisite protections—and which is known to Smith only as a result of his unconstitutional appointment—in order to serve a singular purpose: convincing the public that everyone Smith charged is guilty of the crimes charged,” the four lawyers wrote.
On Tuesday, Cannon ultimately put a temporary hold on the release of the classified documents report. [NBC News]
For the forgetful, the former President was alleged, by the FBI, to be concealing documents for which he lacked authorization, and, when given the opportunity to return the documents on the quiet, refused and concealed more documents. For this and a lot of wasted forebearance, Mr Smith began investigating the matter as a special counsel.
Now, items to remember.
- If you’re inclined to see Mr. Smith’s work as a hit job, remember that he’s a Federal prosecutor, and reputed to be one of the best. Throwing away a successful career isn’t what I’d expect of him.
- These allegations may have been dismissed, but it was at Mr. Smith’s request due to DoJ rules – not because a judge, or more importantly, a jury, found Mr Trump not guilty. There is no exoneration here, no matter how loud Mr Trump shouts it. (I believe this is known as a dismissal without prejudice, but I’m not a lawyer.)
- The items Mr Trump was alleged to retain included highly secret documents, for which certain governments would be willing to pay large sums.
- Mr Trump is highly money driven, as seen during the pandemic four years ago when he attempted to hawk the dangerous medicine ivermectin as a therapeutic, in violation of his oath to protect the United States and its citizens, and has few, if any, moral restraints concerning his methods of collecting money. In other words, if you offered him $10 for a blowjob, he just might take your money – and then send an assistant to perform the sex act.
So we were scheduled to learn the contents of Mr Smith’s report, but now this has become doubtful. The scramble to quash the report, though, suggests it’s important stuff, as Steve Benen notes.
So how important could it be? Given we’re talking about top-secret documents, this could be Mr Trump’s big bid to keep his head above the sea of red ink in which he seems to live, outside of revenues from The Apprentice.
Could be treason-level?
And that’s why I ask soon-to-be, wielding the sword of the 25th Amendment, vice-president Vance if he’s picked out a Vice President just yet. He can’t talk to the Cabinet about booting Mr Trump out, because the Cabinet is not yet formed.
But it pays to be prepared, eh, Mr. Vance?
Judge Cannon, will your attempt at obstruction lead to your sudden resignation? Perhaps it’s time to update your resume as well.
