Jack Smith Says He Was ‘Lawfully’ Appointed, Authorized to Prosecute Trump

Jack Smith Says He Was ‘Lawfully’ Appointed, Authorized to Prosecute Trump
(Left) Special counsel Jack Smith delivers remarks in Washington on Aug. 1, 2023. (Right) Former President Donald Trump attends his trial in New York State Supreme Court in New York City on Dec. 7, 2023. Drew Angerer, David Dee Delgado/Getty Images
|Updated:
0:00
In court filings on March 7, special counsel Jack Smith pushed back on claims that he lacked the authority to prosecute former President Donald Trump, an argument that has been pushed by Reagan-era U.S. Attorney General Edwin Meese III and picked up by Trump attorneys in a motion to dismiss the case that Mr. Smith is leading in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

President Trump has been charged with 40 counts related to allegedly mishandling classified documents, and Mr. Smith was appointed special counsel on Nov. 18, 2022, leading to two cases against the former president. In Washington, President Trump was charged with four counts of obstruction and conspiracy for his actions on Jan. 6, 2021.

Related Topics