Jack Smith Hands Over Mar-a-Lago Documents Case to Florida Prosecutors – One America News Network
OAN Staff Brooke Mallory
4:19 PM – Tuesday, December 31, 2024
A new phase in the ongoing legal battles involving Trump’s co-defendants has commenced, as special counsel Jack Smith has transferred the Mar-a-Lago documents case to federal prosecutors based in Florida, according to emerging reports.
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On Friday, Smith formally handed over the Mar-a-Lago documents case to federal prosecutors in the Southern District of Florida. This decision is significant for the prosecution of Walt Nauta and Carlos de Oliveira, co-defendants of President-elect Donald Trump.
Referencing Justice Department guidelines that prevent the prosecution of a sitting president, Smith dropped all charges against Trump in November. Trump’s election-related case wrapped up swiftly, and he was no longer implicated in the Mar-a-Lago documents case once the charges were dismissed without prejudice.
However, the legal challenges surrounding Trump’s personal valet, Nauta, and Mar-a-Lago property manager de Oliveira remain unresolved. They face accusations of obstructing justice, providing false statements to investigators, and concealing official documents.
The allegations stem from claims that both men were part of a broader scheme to hide boxes filled with thousands of documents from Trump’s former attorney and federal authorities. Among these materials were reportedly around 300 documents marked as classified.
Investigators assert that the documents were unlawfully taken from the White House at the end of Trump’s presidency and were not returned to the National Archives as legally required.
It’s also noteworthy that critical findings emerged from a separate inquiry regarding President Joe Biden’s mishandling of classified documents. Nonetheless, DOJ Special Counsel Robert Hur’s report concluded that there were “no grounds” for criminal charges against Biden, citing his advanced age and cognitive decline.
Hur suggested that the court would likely perceive Biden as an “elderly man with a poor memory.”
The report indicated that Biden “willfully” retained and shared highly sensitive documents while he was a private citizen. It also highlighted his “poor memory” regarding the events and his confusion about the circumstances, which were reportedly considered in deciding not to press charges.
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