Republicans Insist that Special Counsel Preserves all Documents Tied to Trump Investigations
House Republicans requested special counsel Jack Smith to preserve his records related to prosecutions of President-elect Donald Trump by Nov. 24.
A letter sent on Friday demands documents and messages concerning meetings between the FBI, DOJ officials, and Smith’s office before a search warrant was executed at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in 2023, as well as documents related to staff hiring and communications between various offices.
House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan expressed concern about the preservation of records in light of President Trump’s recent victory and set a deadline of Nov. 24 for compliance with the request.
The letter serves as a formal request to retain all current and future records and materials related to Smith’s cases against Trump and instructs the office to prevent the destruction or alteration of any records and communications.
As of now, there has been no public response from Smith’s office regarding the Republicans’ letter.
The Department of Justice is reportedly winding down Trump’s cases following his election win, citing a policy not to prosecute presidents. Instead, an impeachment investigation is considered the appropriate course of action for a sitting president.
Smith has asked a federal judge to pause all pretrial hearings and proceedings in Trump’s election-related case, which the judge promptly agreed to based on the “unprecedented circumstances” surrounding the case.
Trump, who has pleaded not guilty in the Smith cases, faces ongoing legal challenges and accusations of illegal activities related to the 2020 election.
In addition to Jordan’s letter, several top Republicans and former Attorney General Bill Barr have called for an end to the prosecutions of Trump.
Despite the legal battles, Trump will face a sentencing date in New York City after a conviction on falsifying business records, as well as election-related charges in Fulton County, Georgia.
