Garland appointing special counsel

[Cmaier]

Paywalled, unfortunately.

Garland Appoints Special Counsel to Determine Whether Trump Should Face Charges

Special counsel will assess whether criminal charges are merited in connection with the handling of classified documents and oversee key aspects of the probe into efforts to overturn Mr. Trump’s 2020 election loss.

www.wsj.com

 

[shadow puppet]

Non paywall option.

WATCH: Attorney General Merrick Garland names special counsel to lead Trump-related probes

The move Friday was announced just three days after Trump announced his 2024 candidacy. It's a recognition of the unmistakable political implications of two investigations that involve not only a former president but also a current White House hopeful.

www.pbs.org

 

[Cmaier]

“John L. Smith, the former head of the Justice Department’s public integrity section, will oversee the investigation into Mr. Trump’s retention of sensitive government documents at his home in Florida, and “key” aspects of the separate inquiry into the former president’s actions before the Jan. 6 attack, Mr. Garland said in a news conference.”

 

[shadow puppet]

If anyone interested, Garland's press conference is about to begin.

 

[Cmaier]

 

[fooferdoggie]

more time now.

 

[mac_in_tosh]

My initial reaction is one of outrage. How much investigating has to be done? We know he took documents he wasn't supposed to take. They negotiated with him to return them but he didn't so they issued a subpoena. He didn't comply with the subpoena and they had to execute a search warrant during which they found documents as well as empty folders. In other words, he stole top secret documents and he obstructed justice. This back and forth with him has been going on for months and they've been investigating for months.

So what now? More investigation? Will Trump file a lawsuit objecting to the special prosecutor thus delaying things even more?

It's simply an outrage how this guy has committed multiple crimes his whole life and continues to get away with it. And now the insurrectionist is running for president. Equal justice under the law? Multiple high officials who have handled these kinds of documents have said that they would already have been indicted.

To me Garland is just appearing to be weak, just like Mueller was. Do you think a GOP attorney general would have such hesitation? But I hope someone will correct me and say that the appointment of a special prosecutor will hasten the day that Trump is indicted, not delay it.

 

[Eric]

My initial reaction is one of outrage. How much investigating has to be done? We know he took documents he wasn't supposed to take. They negotiated with him to return them but he didn't so they issued a subpoena. He didn't comply with the subpoena and they had to execute a search warrant during which they found documents as well as empty folders. In other words, he stole top secret documents and he obstructed justice. This back and forth with him has been going on for months and they've been investigating for months.

So what now? More investigation? Will Trump file a lawsuit objecting to the special prosecutor thus delaying things even more?

It's simply an outrage how this guy has committed multiple crimes his whole life and continues to get away with it. And now the insurrectionist is running for president. Equal justice under the law? Multiple high officials who have handled these kinds of documents have said that they would already have been indicted.

To me Garland is just appearing to be weak, just like Mueller was. Do you think a GOP attorney general would have such hesitation? But I hope someone will correct me and say that the appointment of a special prosecutor will hasten the day that Trump is indicted, not delay it.

Totally agree that it looks like it's going the way of Mueller, sounds like this guy Smith has a history of giving Republicans a free pass. The protections afforded to one because they are/were a president is just baffling.

What's next? Republicans are about to muddy the waters with a bunch of their own "investigations" and the American people will question all of it.

 

[Citysnaps]

My initial reaction is one of outrage. How much investigating has to be done? We know he took documents he wasn't supposed to take. They negotiated with him to return them but he didn't so they issued a subpoena. He didn't comply with the subpoena and they had to execute a search warrant during which they found documents as well as empty folders. In other words, he stole top secret documents and he obstructed justice. This back and forth with him has been going on for months and they've been investigating for months.

So what now? More investigation? Will Trump file a lawsuit objecting to the special prosecutor thus delaying things even more?

It's simply an outrage how this guy has committed multiple crimes his whole life and continues to get away with it. And now the insurrectionist is running for president. Equal justice under the law? Multiple high officials who have handled these kinds of documents have said that they would already have been indicted.

To me Garland is just appearing to be weak, just like Mueller was. Do you think a GOP attorney general would have such hesitation? But I hope someone will correct me and say that the appointment of a special prosecutor will hasten the day that Trump is indicted, not delay it.

My view is Garland, a Biden appointee, chose Smith so there's no question of political prosecutorial underhandedness should Biden end up running against trump in the Presidential election. A smart decision, IMO.

EDIT: Also...I wouldn't be surprised if the bulk of both investigations is complete. And now it's just a matter of strategizing on how to handle the prosecution(s), assuming there will be one (or more).

 

[Citysnaps]

I have to admit I do find it a little amusing or odd/strange/weird that if trump is prosecuted, it will be from a Hague war crimes prosecutor.

 

[shadow puppet]

Garland has one time to get this right. From what I've read, all of his indictments have been airtight. Plus doesn't a special counsel mean the House GOP has no access to these investigations and interfere?

Jack Smith indicted a CIA Officer and secured a conviction for mishandling national defense information so I'm very curious to see how this goes down.

 

[Citysnaps]

Garland has one time to get this right. From what I've read, all of his indictments have been airtight. Plus doesn't a special counsel mean the House GOP has no access to these investigations and interfere?

Jack Smith indicted a CIA Officer and secured a conviction for mishandling national defense information so I'm very curious to see how this goes down.

I'm feeling optimistic.

 

[Cmaier]

I'm feeling optimistic.

Me too.

 

[mac_in_tosh]

My view is Garland, a Biden appointee, chose Smith so there's no question of political prosecutorial underhandedness should Biden end up running against trump in the Presidential election. A smart decision, IMO.

Maybe, but I doubt it would stop accusations of partisanship. After all Biden appointed Garland who appointed Smith.

Anyhow, I watched a Meidas Touch episode where a former prosecutor who knows Smith thought his appointment would speed things up. But MSNBC commentator Neil Katyal indicated his disappointment at least as far as the stolen documents case goes because he thought it was already clear that crimes were committed.

 

[Alli]

The first cries from the right were “how dare this be done right after Trump announces his candidacy.” But with them, there is never a right time. We’re still waiting for the right time to have that conversation about guns.

This is not the same as Mueller, since he was given a very narrow scope and was told that he could not indict a sitting president. Smith has been given carte blanche. The investigations are pretty much done. It’s just a matter of which crime TFG will be charged with first.

And don’t forget the civil cases against him are still going strong.

 

[Eric]

The first cries from the right were “how dare this be done right after Trump announces his candidacy.” But with them, there is never a right time. We’re still waiting for the right time to have that conversation about guns.

This is not the same as Mueller, since he was given a very narrow scope and was told that he could not indict a sitting president. Smith has been given carte blanche. The investigations are pretty much done. It’s just a matter of which crime TFG will be charged with first.

And don’t forget the civil cases against him are still going strong.

It's almost as if Trump believed that running again would shield him from all of this but even he couldn't have believed that would really happen.

 

[Citysnaps]

If I may engage in a little frivolity, I really like Jack Smith's don't f with me game face.

 

[fooferdoggie]

like he is going to participate in anything. like he has a choice.

Trump Erupts Over New Special Counsel, Vows He Won't 'Partake' In Investigation​

Trump Erupts Over New Special Counsel, Says He Won't 'Partake' In Investigation

Trump called the appointment the “worst politicization of justice in our country" and falsely claimed he has already been found innocent "on everything."

www.huffpost.com

 

[bwinter88]

For those who want some granularity into just how screwed Trump is (and his lawyers, and possibly Lindsay Graham) in the Georgia investigation into election interference, I highly recommend the podcast Breakdown from the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

 

[lizkat]

like he is going to participate in anything. like he has a choice.

Trump Erupts Over New Special Counsel, Vows He Won't 'Partake' In Investigation​

Trump Erupts Over New Special Counsel, Says He Won't 'Partake' In Investigation

Trump called the appointment the “worst politicization of justice in our country" and falsely claimed he has already been found innocent "on everything."

www.huffpost.com

Dollars to donuts there were champagne corks popped in the offices of his current attorneys. A promise not to partake means half a chance they might get their client off on some technicality. Every time Trump opens his mouth regarding a case where he's the target, he gets in deeper or provides the foundation for another investigation.