The special prosecutor investigating the case against Donald Trump for illegal attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election, Jack Smith, recommended on Monday that the prosecution be stopped on the grounds that he was now the president-elect.
It thus complies with the policy adopted more than 50 years ago by the Department of Justice, consisting of not prosecuting a sitting president. Although the case of a candidate being criminally prosecuted and then elected president is “unprecedented,” during deliberations with the special prosecutor’s office, the department concluded that this policy “applies to this situation,” explains Jack Smith.
On the side of the future 47th President of the United States, the reaction was quick. Donald Trump’s team hailed a “major victory” on Monday after the special prosecutor investigating the case against the president-elect for illegal attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election recommended stopping the prosecution .
“Today’s decision by the Department of Justice puts an end to the unconstitutional federal cases brought against President Trump and constitutes a major victory for the rule of law,” applauded its communications director, Steven Cheung, in a press release. A new victory for the Republican camp after the indefinite postponement of his sentence in the Stormy Daniels affair.
New decision on December 9
The New York justice system, which found Donald Trump guilty of making hidden payments to an X-rated film actress, canceled his sentence on Friday, but will make a new decision in early December in this explosive case, before the inauguration of president-elect.
Judge Juan Merchan decided to authorize the lawyers of the 45th and soon 47th American president, who will enter the White House on January 20, to present an appeal before December 2 to cancel the entire procedure and the trial which took place. held in New York last spring.
The magistrate will make his decision on this procedural point on December 9, according to a judicial document made public on Friday, which still makes a very hypothetical sentence possible, according to the Washington Post’s analysis, before January 20. In the meantime, the sentencing – possibly prison -, scheduled for November 26 after having been postponed twice since July, has been “postponed”.