Prosecutor Smith Resigns from Department of Justice in Trump Document Case.

【Epoch Times January 12, 2025 News】 According to court documents received by Judge Aileen Cannon in the United States on Saturday, January 11th, it was revealed that Special Prosecutor Jack Smith had resigned from the Department of Justice on Friday.

Smith was handling two federal cases involving Donald Trump, accusing him of attempting to overturn the 2020 election results and mishandling classified documents.

The notice of Smith’s resignation appeared in a footnote in the court documents, stating that the special counsel had completed his work, submitted his final confidential report on January 7th, and “separated” from the Department of Justice on January 10th.

The court documents also showed that Smith requested Judge Cannon to revoke a previous court order that prevented him from releasing his final investigative report.

The two Trump cases that Smith was handling are currently at a standstill, with neither having entered the trial phase. One case was dismissed by a judge in Florida. In the other case, the Supreme Court ruled that the former president enjoys broad immunity from prosecution while performing official duties.

In the 2024 election, Trump defeated Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris. Subsequently, Smith withdrew the two cases against Trump, citing long-standing Department of Justice policy prohibiting the prosecution of a sitting president. When seeking dismissal of the charges, Smith’s team argued in defense of the lawsuits, emphasizing Trump’s imminent return to the White House, rendering their legal actions untenable.

Smith’s resignation marks another collapse in a series of criminal cases against Trump, which may have no legal consequences for the incoming president, but have sparked backlash from voters, potentially aiding Trump in returning to the White House.

Smith’s resignation from the Department of Justice was expected. Trump had repeatedly called Smith “deranged” and stated his intention to fire him immediately after his inauguration on January 20th. Trump also hinted that upon his return to the White House, he may investigate Smith and others who had investigated him.

In 2023, Trump became the first sitting or former U.S. president to face criminal charges. Initially in New York, he was accused of falsifying business records. Subsequently, Smith accused Trump of illegally retaining classified materials post-presidency, attempting to overturn the 2020 election results, and being responsible for the events on January 6th. Additionally, a Georgia prosecutor accused Trump of attempting to overturn the election results in that state.

Trump denied any wrongdoing, criticizing the prosecutions as politically motivated to undermine his campaigns. He used court appearances to rally millions in campaign donations, effectively countering his political opponents and garnering more voter support through these cases.

The Justice Department defended these cases, stating that they were handled by non-politically influenced professional prosecutors.

Nearly two years after the Capitol Hill incident, in November 2022, Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Smith to continue the investigations into Trump. This move came just days after Trump officially announced his candidacy for the 2024 election.

Garland was an appointee of Democratic President Joe Biden. He stated that Smith would provide a certain level of independence in the highly sensitive investigation. Previously, Garland had refused calls to appoint a special prosecutor, insisting he could oversee the investigation into Trump properly.

For over two hundred years, even presidents mired in scandals have managed to evade prosecution in the United States. However, the Trump cases overseen by Smith set a precedent. The indictments accused Trump of bringing highly sensitive national security documents to his Florida vacation spot after the 2020 election loss and attempting to disrupt the ballot collection and certification through false voter fraud charges.

In the case of the confidential documents, Judge Cannon ruled that Smith was improperly appointed as special counsel and dismissed all charges in July 2024.

Smith’s office appealed this decision. Following Trump’s victory, prosecutors withdrew the appeals related to Trump but indicated they would continue to seek to reinstate charges against two of Trump’s aides accused of obstructing the investigation.

During Trump’s appeal based on presidential immunity, the election cases were temporarily suspended for several months. In August, the Supreme Court largely sided with Trump, ruling that he could not be prosecuted for many official acts during his presidency. This delay further prolonged the other cases.

In court documents, Smith admitted that his team faced an “unprecedented situation” after Trump’s victory. His office concluded that both cases could not proceed.

On Friday, Judge Juan Merchan of the New York Supreme Court announced a judgment in the business records case (commonly known as the “hush money case”) against President-elect Donald Trump, granting an unconditional discharge.

This was essentially a symbolic judgment, meaning that Trump would not face any punishment apart from being recorded as convicted in legal records. Trump’s lawyers are seeking an appeal to completely overturn the judgment.

The Georgia case involves charges against 14 Trump allies, currently pending. The appeals court is deliberating on whether Chief Prosecutor Fani Willis should be disqualified due to an alleged inappropriate relationship with a former deputy. During Trump’s presidency, cases against him were unlikely to make progress.

(This article was referenced from Reuters’ report)