Special counsel Jack Smith has officially resigned from the Justice Department as of Friday, according to a recent court filing. His departure coincides with ongoing legal battles regarding the potential public release of his investigative report concerning former President Donald Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election and the alleged mishandling of classified materials post-presidency.
Smith submitted his comprehensive two-volume report to Attorney General Merrick Garland on Tuesday. While Garland has stated that he will not release any details pertaining to the classified documents investigation just yet, he has expressed that parts of the report should eventually be made public. Smith’s resignation was anticipated, particularly as his office has been transitioning out for several weeks and with Trump’s impending inauguration on January 20.
Through the course of finalizing the report, Smith’s team has also transferred any ongoing appeals pertaining to the special counsel’s powers to other Department of Justice attorneys and dismissed two federal criminal cases against Trump in light of his return to the presidency.
Garland has indicated to congressional leaders that they would receive confidential access to the portion of the report related to the classified documents. The timeline for the report’s release is critical, with the potential for some segments to be available to the public as soon as Sunday or Monday. An appeals court recently rejected requests from Trump and his allies to prevent the report’s release, and the Justice Department is currently responding to requests for more information about its contents.
Smith was appointed by Garland in November 2022 to investigate both the classified documents matter and the efforts to subvert the election results, after Trump announced his campaign for reelection. Despite bringing charges against Trump in both cases earlier this year, those prosecutions faced hurdles, especially following the voters’ decision to reinstate Trump as president, leading to the dismissal of the cases.
One significant outcome of Smith’s tenure was a Supreme Court ruling regarding presidential immunity, which established a high threshold for prosecuting former presidents for acts performed during their time in office.
Trump publicly celebrated Smith’s departure, labeling him a “disgrace” and dismissing his investigative efforts as evidence of failure by his political opponents. As discussions heat up regarding potential oversight investigations into Smith’s probes, it remains uncertain how the results of the report will influence ongoing narratives around Trump’s presidency.
In conclusion, while Smith’s resignation marks a pivotal moment in this high-profile investigation, the legal and political implications of his findings may continue to unfold in the weeks to come. The situation invites ongoing scrutiny and debate about transparency and accountability within the political sphere.